Microburst rockets downed to Heavy 3, switched to multiple barrage.

Markerlights automatically hit, doubled in points for most cases.

Drone Harbinger updated, given more weapon options. Gunfish slightly lowered in points to 110 from 120

Skyray MFU downed to 4 Missiles from 6, Bombardment changed to Multiple Barrage and downed to heavy 4, requires only 4.

Decoy Launchers changed to 5+ invuln against Immob results

Disruption Pods changed to 12" 5+ Cover, 24" gains stealth (meaning that flat-out or obscured can potentially have 3+ Cover at range). If this proves troublesome for piranhas and Barracuda, will be changed to flat 4+ cover at 24".

Carbines upped to 2ppm for most units, changed on most vehicles from 2 carbines to 1 TL carbine.

Dfish upped to 70 Points.

Sawfish being added; 6-troop Fast Skimmer, Aerial Assault, no ports, AV 11/10/10, Burst Cannon; plays like an assault helicopter. Meant to support deepstrike lists with forward-positioned Positional Relays. Pathfinders can opt for one of these.

Pathfinders points went up due to markerlight buff, slightly compensated for by being able to pin without an unsaved wound when not using markerlights.

Demiurge Wilting Sorrow Special Rules added to armylist entry; were missing before xD

Will you be rewriting a whole lot of this after 6th comes out and give more options?

Unless there's a radical redesign and update of the Tau in the core supplementary materials, including a lot of FW material as standard, and replacing old, useless things with shiny new ones, I'll probably be updating this. The first changes will be, most likely, vehicle cost reductions and fire warrior / emp price hikes; the ability to glance things is going to be very powerful now. I'll also probably have snapfire/overwatch be at BS2, and create new markerlight abilities for it.

Dedicated Transport: Sawfish................30 Points
|Armour|
BS3 F10 S10 R10

Composition
● 1 Sawfish

Unit Type
● Vehicle (Fast, Open-Topped, Skimmer)

Special Rules
● Drone-Assisted Small-Arms
● Rapid Transport
● Shielded Craft
● Supersonic

Wargear
● Twin-Linked Front-Mounted Pulse Carbine

Transport Options
● A Sawfish may transport up to 6 models from any unit able to purchase it, and up to 2 Drones attached to that unit which do not count against this limit.

Armament:
● A Sawfish may exchange its Twin-Linked Pulse Carbine for:
- Burst Cannon........5 Points
- Ion Wave.............10 Points
- Plasma Pistol..........10 Points

Options:
● Purchase any of the following:
- 1 Flechette Launcher..........3 Points
- Decoy Launchers.................5 Points
- Targeting Array...................5 Points
- Disruption Pods....................10 Points
- Positional Relay.....................10 Points
- Smart Missile System.............15 Points
- Markerlight..........................20 Points
- 1 Seeker Missile...................(See Seeker Missiles)


Rapid Transport: The Sawfish may have units embark or disembark while it has moved Flat-Out. An eligible unit may embark within 2” of the Sawfish's path of travel this turn – Treat the Sawfish' start and end points as its path of travel. A unit is eligible if the Sawfish moved over it, and it meets transport requirements.

An embarked unit may deepstrike along its path of travel. A unit with Jet Packs disembarking may instead interrupt the Sawfish' movement to disembark normally, allowing the Sawfish to complete its move after.

Shielded Craft: For each Shield Drone the embarked unit is carrying, the Sawfish' Front and Side AV increase by +1. Shield Drones may be destroyed on a Damaged: Weapon Destroyed result.

Average cost for Sawfish, 6 FW's, Shas'Ui, Drone Controller, and 2 Shield Drones: 48+15+5+40 = 138. If you upgrade to carbines, it's 150 points. For 150 points you have a 24" "pulse" range in which you put out 21 S5 AP5 shots at BS3, or a 33" range for 14 shots. Popping a Markerlight onto it for 170 boosts the BS to 4 which isn't bad.

Well, the 6e update brought us a whole lot of nothing - except now our drone killpoints are even deadlier against us!

chrisrawr wrote:Well, the 6e update brought us a whole lot of nothing - except now our drone killpoints are even deadlier against us!

not true!

AP1 is now +2 to the damage roll
AP2 is now +1 to the damage roll
Firewarriors can move 6" and fire once at 30" or twice at 15"
And we lose Target Lock.

Disruption pods are now entirely dead; jink grants 5+ cover as does obscured.

Decoy Launchers still do nothing ever.

Our vehicles are still amongst the weakest, survivability-wise, for their cost.

No point in ever taking devilfish now ever.

No point in taking anything but a Shaso, 9 Crisis suits, 2x6 Fire Warriors, and 2x2 Broadsides, filling the rest with allies.

Technically Decoy Launchers are dead gear, being they only forced re-rolls on glances.

Disruption Pods are useless now, maybe if they'd erratad it to +1 to the cover save, but oh well - just means our vehicles are 5pts cheaper.

D.Fish are still AV12/11/10 tanks with 5 shots. TBH running them base with a squad of Firewarriors for extra targets will be fine I think.

I'm still going to be running 3 Broadsides + 2 Hammerheads mind.

Dpods errata'd to reroll any immob.

Dfish have 2 glances -> dead
HH have 3 glances -> dead

Devilfish are 3HP.

It's Pirahnas that are 2HP.

Still impractical: High-cost transports are dead, simply from prevalence of glancing. Every marine, guard and their mothers
now has an S6 glancemachine in-hand. Long live Razorspam!

6th Edition updates planned

Kroot, Vespid, GueVesa, and Demiurge turned into actual "Allies" with their own special rules, and 2 choices for each FOC (2 HQ, 2 Elites, 2 Troops, 2 Fast, 2 Heavy) in order to fully flesh out the Allies feel - as well as to fully consolidate the Tau into a single, solid codex.

Seek and Destroy special rule being moved to Missile Command Center building; 200 points building with 72" range that produces 2 seeker missiles per turn. Drones can increase control and enhance its properties.

Ethereals getting Chariots. Also getting their own warlord traits.

Pulse and Plasma weapons will be bumped to Salvo Weapons. Actually, most weapons will be bumped to Salvo weapons.

More focus on the mobile retreat; 3" assaultphase move on most nonvehicle units if they didn't move in the shooting phase.

Stealthfield Generator will count assaults against Stealthsuits as Difficult Terrain instead of flat distance nerf.

Be honest, Shas O Kais is just a Tau counterpart to guardsman Marbo, isn't he. His stats are the same except +1 W, -1 I, +1 A, +3 leadership, and a 4+ save. TBH I have little problem with him as far as balance goes, I just think that his existance goes against so much fluff. Vidya game characters shouldn't be portrayed on the TT in an actual codex, a guardsman Marbo type character goes against Tau doctrine, and it is just awkward to have a Tau character running around alone without a battlesuit charging into hand to hand. Also him being a Khornate follower is painful to hear.

As for TT performance, I think he will be crap, even Marbo only really exists as a 65 point demo charge that can be dropped anywhere. Such a light character will probably die before he has the chance to do anything useful. On another note, are his WS and A boosts due to being a Khornate Tau already included in his profile or not?

Yes, they're already included. No, he doesn't worship khorne any more than people who breathe worship air. he's a channel, not a cultist. No, he's intended to alter the FOC to include MACs as troops. His stats also happen to now be decent for challenges against guard and marine sergeants.

chrisrawr wrote:Yes, they're already included. No, he doesn't worship khorne any more than people who breathe worship air. he's a channel, not a cultist. No, he's intended to alter the FOC to include MACs as troops. His stats also happen to now be decent for challenges against guard and marine sergeants.

You do not need to be WS/BS 5 to stand a chance against marine sergeants, and even if you did, he would die before he could do anything because it only takes a volley of bolter fire at close range to kill him (19 shots, 13 hits, 9 wounds 4-5 failed saves). Also, what are MACs, and do you really need to have a suicidal character just to make them troops?

Also, one other thing I have a problem with is Gue'vesa rebels, balance wise they are fine, but they are just an odd unit, I mean traitor Guard makes perfect sense, but why give what are universally seen as crappy soldiers (at least in raw skills) fancy Tau weapons. Perhaps there should be a mid ground between the incompetent rebels and the special forces esque ODST. Also, I am a bit worried about Gunfish, nothing is inherently wrong with them, but squadrons of them seem like they may cause some issues. Also, why should railgun submunitions get two large blasts?

He's an IC; he joins up with mobile assault cadres. Theyre the jump-shoot-jump firewarriors. He's not a suicide unit.

As for rebels; these are the imperialists born in Tau space during the near-end of the third sphere expansion. They're trained like Tau; for shooting and running away. They get fancy Tau weapons because the Tau have them to spare now that they're not being constantly lost in battle. There's going to be an additional 2 HQ, 1 Elites, 1 Troops, 2 Fast Attack, and 2 Heavy Support Gue'Vesa units for you to choose from; they might just be ported IG units with updated points costs (i.e. not unbalanced as balls), or they might be brand new.

Squadrons now are much more powerful, yeah. I'm going to be adjusting the FHU so that it's less random and removing the missile bombardment special attack, and then slotting Gunfish into 1-2 per heavy slot, or allowing Tau to ally with themselves.

As for the submunitions; the heavy rail cannon is heavy 2. It's a 200 point tank with 4 hullpoints; if it can't take out a few necron warriors or a couple hammer termies, it's going to be sploot very quickly with the overall vehicle nerf this edition. Depending on how new vehicles coming out are faring (for example, the new chaos dred that has 8 s8 ap4 shots and never ever dies), i'll probably be adjusting towards their levels of power - but for now, it's a double-barreled shotgun.

If it's meant to be a twin-shot flechette round (like a double barrel shotgun), I'd go with 2 small blasts.

@Ovion; That sounds good.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Tau Auxiliaries change:
"Instead of choosing an Ally from another codex, you may purchase the following from this codex:
-1 Auxiliary HQ Choice
-1 Auxiliary Elites Choice
-2 Auxiliary Troops Choice
-1 Auxiliary Fast Attack Choice
-1 Auxiliary Heavy Support Choice

An Auxiliary unit will have the Auxiliary Special Rule in its profile, denoting it can be taken for the appropriate slot.

In addition, all units purchased as allies gain the Auxiliary special rule, which sets them apart from normal Tau Empire units.
You may purchase any Auxiliary HQ from Codex: Tau Empire in a normal FOC. If you do, other units of that HQ's faction
may also be purchased using your normal FOC."

Dynamic Entry Change (Slight Nerf overall)
Whenever a friendly Tau Empire unit enters play from reserve, until the end of the Game Turn it gains Preferred Enemy
and its weapons gain Pinning. This does not apply to Auxiliaries unless they have the Dynamic Entry special rule in their profile.

Rapid Retreat (New)
Non-Vehicle Tau Empire units without the Auxiliary special rule may move 3” in the Assault Phase if they did not move in the
Shooting Phase. If a Jet Pack Thrust Move would result in less than 6" of movement, that unit may move 6" instead.


Automatically Appended Next Post:


For battlesuits, we have a big issue; T5, or T4?

On the one hand, Iridium Armour is relatively cheap, and has a much greater effect in this edition. On the other hand, small-arms fire was the intended target of the T5 buff. Would a clause in the Battlesuit Rule, "Treat them as Toughness 4 for purposes of Instant Death" be acceptable?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Disruption Pods / Decoy Launchers proposal: I want to keep in-line with the lower survivability of vehicles, including the overall nerf to coversaves. Unfortunately, the Jink special rule does this already for all Tau vehicles.

The Pitch: Decoy Launchers are useless right now. Rather, they do not have a benefit that is worth a points cost, but I cannot simply give them away for free. Disruption Pods have no benefit before 24" as i have them at the moment.

The solution: Consolidate Decoy Launchers and Disruption Pods, make them similar to Flechette Launchers and Seeker Missiles.

Vehicles will be able to purchase a single consolidated Disruption Pod per Hull Point, for 5 points. They each grant the Stealth USR against a single Glance or Penetrating result. If a result punches through the boosted save granted by a disruption pod, or if the weapon simply ignores cover, then that result ignores the Immobilized result completely; a 5 results in nothing. The hull point is still lost.

Also - I think making everything Salvo weapons is

I'm running my suits as +1 Toughness for Stealth Suits (aka Power Armour) with a 3+ save, and Crisis Suits as +2 Toughness (because they are huge and made of armour plate) with a 3+ save. Same as different base grades of dude have different BS / WS, etc.

I'm also thinking of making Broadsides terminatoresque, with a 2+ / 5+* as standard.

I've decided to make the tank side 1 chasis.
You start with the Devilfish, then can buy extra armour, etc.

Am now calling the big railgun a Hammer Class Railgun, with the Broadside having a Railgun.
You buy the Transport Capacity for the DFish as a Primary weapon system. ( The dedicated transport MUST take the transport cap option)

So if you're willing to pay lots and lots of points, your base transport can have front armour 13?

So I'm thinking:
Weapon: Hammer Class Railgun - 55pts
The Hammer Class Railgun is a larger, vehicle mounted version of the weapon found elsewhere.
The greater power output and size allows for a variety of shots to be made.
You may choose to fire the Heavy Railgun as any one of the following profiles per turn.
Solid Slug: Range-72", Str-10, AP-1, Type-Heavy 2.
Explosive: Range-72", Str-6, AP-4, Type-Heavy 1, Large Blast.
Flechette: Range-48", Str-5, AP-3, Type-Heavy 2, Blast, Fleshbane.

With:
Railgun
Solid Slug: Range-72", Str-9, AP-1, Type-Heavy 1.
Flechette: Range-48", Str-5, AP-3, Type-Rapid Fire, Blast.

Thoughts?

Personally running my stealths at 4+ armour, but with the new Stealth+Shrouded rules until I see how they work out. I might just slap a maximum range on sight for shots against them at 18 or 24 if it comes down to it, or I might just price-reduce them back to 4e levels. I am keeping them T4.

Suits at T5 base is gonna be really jinky I think; T5 base isn't as special as it once was, but it's still a big milestone. I'll set about with T5 and then if that gets too wacky, I'll T4 them with rolls as if T5.

I like the feel of Tau requiring auxiliary systems for invuln saves; it still feels like something that should be 'special' for them. Especially with the huge buff to Broadside survival against power weapons in CC and at T5.

I like the idea of a modular 'fish chasis, but I feel that it adds too much to the unit and armylist entries. It's just much easier to make distinctions with distinct starting points, especially across the FOC. Sure, I lose maybe 2 or 3 neat combinations, but the overall ease for both myself and the player in terms of listbuilding and balancing is worth it in my opinion.

For the weaponry, it really depends on what can take it. If your base is 50 or 60 points, you've got a DE situation where you've got a nice, big gun on a sweet weapon.

The Flechette launcher at ap3 with fleshbane is super nice, but MEQ and MC's will not like it at all - especially on such a versatile gun. Maybe S4 AP3 without fleshbane, or Heavy 1 as-is. Explosive should prolly have Ignores Cover.

Now, at ~180-200 points, a BS4 HP4 13/12/11 vehicle with this weapon is in the sweet spot.

The Railgun should prolly be Salvo instead of Rapidfire Also, no reason to not have the SS be S10. I'd also go with the same Flechette profile as the Heavy; either lower Str without fleshbane, or the same but heavy 1 all the way through.

chrisrawr wrote:Personally running my stealths at 4+ armour, but with the new Stealth+Shrouded rules until I see how they work out. I might just slap a maximum range on sight for shots against them at 18 or 24 if it comes down to it, or I might just price-reduce them back to 4e levels. I am keeping them T4.

Suits at T5 base is gonna be really jinky I think; T5 base isn't as special as it once was, but it's still a big milestone. I'll set about with T5 and then if that gets too wacky, I'll T4 them with rolls as if T5.

If a unit has 2 Toughness values now, you permamently use the highest.

I like the feel of Tau requiring auxiliary systems for invuln saves; it still feels like something that should be 'special' for them. Especially with the huge buff to Broadside survival against power weapons in CC and at T5.

I was thinking of simply including a light shield gen or something as standard in its gear

I like the idea of a modular 'fish chasis, but I feel that it adds too much to the unit and armylist entries. It's just much easier to make distinctions with distinct starting points, especially across the FOC. Sure, I lose maybe 2 or 3 neat combinations, but the overall ease for both myself and the player in terms of listbuilding and balancing is worth it in my opinion.

True enough, I've been dubious about the idea, I'll make a half dozen unit entries instead xD

For the weaponry, it really depends on what can take it. If your base is 50 or 60 points, you've got a DE situation where you've got a nice, big gun on a sweet weapon.

The Flechette launcher at ap3 with fleshbane is super nice, but MEQ and MC's will not like it at all - especially on such a versatile gun. Maybe S4 AP3 without fleshbane, or Heavy 1 as-is. Explosive should prolly have Ignores Cover.

It was a toss up between StrX and having it only good vs troops, or Str5 and make it able to still hurt light vehicles, Str4 wouldn't matter vs troops as Fleshbane always wounds things with a toughness on a 2+ regardless.

Now, at ~180-200 points, a BS4 HP4 13/12/11 vehicle with this weapon is in the sweet spot.

The Railgun should prolly be Salvo instead of Rapidfire Also, no reason to not have the SS be S10. I'd also go with the same Flechette profile as the Heavy; either lower Str without fleshbane, or the same but heavy 1 all the way through.

Salvo on a vehicle is pointless, but maybe on the railgun, I'll have a looksee.

Oh whoop, read Salvo wrong. Thought it was like Rapidfire, where even if you'd moved or not, half range was required for the second set of values. Then yeah, rapidfire on either Flechette gun would be best.

You could probably go with 3-4 entries; A Transport, a Heavy Transport, a Gunfish, and a Heavy Gunfish (or just a Gunfish) - the big thing is just separating them by FOC; since the transport can only be taken as dedicated, it lets you put the other ones in other focs, instead of having a giant unit entry that says "This can be in this foc, this can be in that foc," etc.

I was more thinking it'd be a heavy support option, but in dedicated support space it says 'can take a D.Fish with Transport Cap'

But yeah, multiple units is probably easier.

While I'm not going to, it would be hilarious to make it so had 1 Battlesuit unit, 1 Vehicle unit, 1 troop unit, with MASSIVE options (totally impractical, but funny)

One of my first 40K projects with a friend was "Make-An Army" from scratch. You started with a 1S/T/W base that could be turned into a vehicle for X points, etc.

Needless to say, it evolved into T10 melee blobs vs S10 shooting blobs.

So, overall, i think 6th ed pretty much set a straight path for the Tau. I mean, everything they would need is in, they only need the option to use them properly. Like:

- Overwatch! Codex-wide special rule for firing OW with normal BS? Yes please!
- Salvo weapons! I guess 3/4 of the Tau guns should be something like this (maybe not Fusion/Rail weapons, but pretty much everything else).
- Allied Auxilia! One major "Tau only" army list and several minor "Auxilia" lists as allies? Count me in!
- Railguns with Armourbane and Instant Death. Nuff' said.
- Defy the Witch buff for Tau units. Maybe a +1 general modifier or something (re-roll?).
- All sorts of new shiny special rules that could swap out clumsy hand-written rules. Like Strikedown. You should really look after Strikedown. i think GW wrote this rule just for you.
- Massive support for Flyers. Tau loves Flyers and Flyers love the Tau.
- The change on Artillery is just too strange... One just looks at the rules and suddenly a massive fire support drone lumbers out from the book, supported by its smaller "navigation and control" drones.

I think taht is all. And a good advice Chris: when you remake your codex for 6th ed, you are better to simply grab the most basic stuff, and thrash everything else, reworking the advanced elements from the ground. Believe me, it will be much easier and much more fruitful .

-I was thinking, instead of buffing Snapfire, I'd allow Markerlights to persist until the end of the game turn. This would be a significant buff to overwatch while still requiring player skill and resource management to handle. It's much more dynamic than simply buffing snapfire on the whole.

-Yup!
-Yup!
-I dunno about ID; S10 is already ID against 90% of things. I'll be adding a double-blast fleshbane version similar to Ovion's for handling things like MC's or high-toughness blobs.

-Deny the witch doesn't really go well with Tau without an Ethereal. Ethereal will probably be getting an army-wide Buffed Deny the Witch option instead of his psy-repellant pheromones.

-Strikedown is already replacing Pinning on many of the weapons, as well as in some units' special rules.

-Barracuda and Sawfish are going to be fliers.

-The old Sniper Team model and his markerlights are looking at some neat Ion Cannon conversions right now. Also, certain bastions and drone defense lines are going to be making use of drone-weapon hybrids. Tyranids get bio-weapons, Tau get mecha-weapons.

It wouldn't help Overwatch.
Stat Modifiers work in the following way (I think it's on something like page 2 of the rules)
Multipliers / Divisors
Additions
Subtractions
Set Figures.

So you'd go say, BS3. +1 for Targetting Array, maybe +1 for Markerlights, making it BS5. Then the Snapshot rules make it BS1. Resulting in BS1.

Honestly, I would instead make it that Markerlights, like flamers, give D3 automatic hits in overwatch, which can be used to then reduce cover or specifically increase the overwatch BS during that round of Overwatch.

This also gives an additional reason to put a markerlight on the upgrade character.

I think that re-rolls on Deny the Witch as an army wide rule would make sense for the Tau.
Something like 'Warp Null', where all tau units with the rule (allies naturally wouldn't have it) re-roll deny the witch rolls. and/or make powers have re-roll successful psychic tests against units with the rule (being 'hard targets' to see/hit with it)

"Minimal Warp Signature", more than Null; And Rerolls on 6's is effectively the same as 5+ - which is faster. That seems to be about the consensus, though.

As a side note, Markerlights aren't going to be able to hit fliers in my dex currently (as they hit without BS - maybe an AA markerlight mount for drone harbingers or something?)

Targeting Array is going to have to explicitely state that it increases Snapshot by 1 as well. Markerlights will have a 3-markerlight ability that lets you snapshot at BS3, with targeting array explicitly increasing this as well.

If I simply allow markerlight effects to apply until the end of your opponents' turn, I can continue disallowing Markerlights as part of a snapshot, while forcing you to decide if you (effectively) want 2 turns of shooting, or 1 turn of GOOD shooting. Which I also think fits Tau dichotomy.

persaonlly, I don't think the targetting array should boost it, as it's the sort of thing that would take time to focus and align.

Also painting aircraft with laser designators isn't something that's really doable either, so that frankly makes sense.

Same to the Snap-shotting, laser designators take time to set up, I'm fine with it being an assault weapon, but yeah...
Hence the flamer-light thing (and I'd probably limit it to 1 per squad too)

That said... being able to combine markerlights into flamer template that does something would be interesting too...

I prefer to think of the targeting array as a fancy HUD program with a passive scanner; It's like the difference between having all of your enemies highlighted with targets on them, and having them blend in with the terrain, but where you're coming from makes sense.

All weapons are probably going back to either Salvo or Rapidfire now that the new rules are for it.

I dunno about flamer template, but maybe a heavy MASER markerlight array bastion-type building that lets you fire a com beam that can cut through a couple meters of concrete and steel...

More stuff: Interceptor Drone-field. ~100 points for 6 drones set up within 5" coherency; 6" range interceptor gun with 1-shot auto-hit explosion that sacrifices the drone. Either that, or giving seeker missiles the Skyfire special rule, and allowing certain vehicle upgrades to grant interceptors. Either way, Seeker Missiles are BS3 against Fliers.

Heavy-Ground-Deployment transports for large units of Fire Warriors or Crisis Suits; Like I-Robot's trucks, but cooler. Expect rapid ejection seats for Cruising-Speed disembark; like a Transformer coming apart into 6 crisis suits.

Pathfinder Hoverbike upgrades, Kroot Great Knar'Loc and Great Knal'Roc flying MC, Crisis Suit concerted deepstrike deployment, Stealth-Team ambush, Sniper kill-team, Fire Warrior defense line; basically, going to have a bunch of special rules (that you can purchase!) for placement and tactics you actually use during the game. They'll hopefully be costed in such a way that making full use of them is hyperefficient, but not making use of them or making subpar use of them doesn't precisely punish you, any more than taking seeker missiles without any way to target them punishes you. These extras will be purchasable in slots similar to the Bastion slot.

Speaking of Seeker Missiles; Vehicles can now buy snapfire rockets instead of actual Seeker Missiles, which should provide a nice incentive to actually take something other than vehicle+disruption pod. Seeker missiles will be purchasable in slots similar to the bastion slot, and come in via reserves, with flier rules.

I ran the disruption/Decoy changes by my FLGS but they weren't that excited about them. One idea that popped up was making them like the clone+shadowfield, negating a single hit on a 2+ save each game turn, but losing it forever if you lose a hull point. How's that sound? I personally think it's a bit complicated, and possibly hard to cost D:

Markerlight effects to end of opponent's turn is an easy fix that goes well with 6e patterns.

When I say flamer, I meant more something like, a unit can choose to use a markerlight as a flamer, and it autohits anything under the template (feasibly getting 2-3 units with the template) putting a token on each.

I also think that markerlight hits till end of opponents turn is a bit... complicated and / or meh.

But hey

Oh... xD Hm, I dunno, with their cost, the general distance of playstyle, and the fact that they're prevalent and autohit already, I'd say in the case of this dex as it stands; probably no to templatey markerlight hits.

Sorry, not hits; effects. I.E. most markerlight effects will now simply state their durations, instead of the blanket-clause for markerlight effects stating they only last until the end of the shooting phase.

Some general changes to markerlights overall also incoming, in regards to how they're spent and by whom. Should streamline the system into more of a resource mechanic that's more-easily tracked by both players. The biggest thing is to make the gameplay flow with the least interruptions, I think.

Edit: was thinking about it backwards. Markerlight tokens AND effects last until the end of the next turn.

Redux So Far:

21 Units in the consolidated Tau Empire Codex;
Page 12
Devilfish
Page 2
Battlesuit: Commander
Page 13
Sawfish
Page 3
Battlesuit: Shas'Vre Bodyguards
Page 14
Whaleshark
Page 4
Ethereal
Page 15
Barracuda
Page 5
Honour Guard
Page 16
Drones: Drone Squadron
Page 6
Battlesuit: XV-8 Crisis Team
Page 17
Pathfinders: Patient Hunters
Page 7
Battlesuit: XV-25 Stealth Team
Page 18
Pathfinders: Strikers
Page 8
Battlesuit: XV-33 Sniper Team
Page 19
Piranha Squadron
Page 9
Battlesuit: XV-9 Hazard Team
Page 20
Battlesuit: XV-88 Broadside Team
Page 10
Fire Warriors: Patient Hunters
Page 21
Drones: Drone Harbinger
Page 11
Fire Warriors: Strikers
Page 22
Gunfish Platform


Special Rules:
Dynamic Entry
Whenever a Non-Auxiliary Tau Empire unit enters play from reserve, it gains Preferred Enemy until the end of your opponent's next turn.

Minimal Warp Signature
Friendly Non-Auxiliary units pass Deny the Witch attempts on a 5+ instead of 6. This bonus stacks with Adamantium Will.

Patient Hunter, Killing Blow
You may choose between Patient Hunter and Killing Blow at the beginning of the game, in place of a Warlord Trait.

Patient Hunter: Your opponent suffers a -1 penalty to their Reserves rolls, and Turn 1 is automatically Night Fighting.

Killing Blow: You gain an additional Victory Point at the end of the game if you have destroyed more Units than your opponent, and another if your Warlord's unit kills the last model in a unit during a shooting or assault phase.

Rapid Retreat
Friendly Non-Auxiliary Tau Empire units that are not locked in combat or charging may move up to 3” in the Assault Phase, even if they Ran or fired Heavy, Rapid-Fire, or Salvo weapons in the preceeding Shooting Phase, or have arrived by Deepstrike that turn.

Tau Auxiliaries
Tau Empire Armies gain Demiurg, Gue'Vesa, Kroot, and Vespid as Battle Brothers, to be taken as Allies in any mission, even those which normally do not allow allies.

In addition, if you have the manditory 1 HQ and 2 Troops from Codex: Tau Empire, then Demiurg, Gue'Vesa, Kroot, and Vespid HQ choices may be purchased as part of your Primary Detatchments; Units of their faction may be purchased as part of your Primary Detatchments as well.

In any case, all “Allies” units, and all Demiurg, Gue'Vesa, Kroot, and Vespid units gain the “Auxiliary” special rule, which exempts them from certain Tau Empire special rules and wargear.

Changes to...
Battlesuits in general: Removed redundant rulings on Deepstrike, Relentless, Bulky.

Battlesuit special rule: A Battlesuit may fire 2 of its weapons in the same shooting phase. It counts its Toughness as 4 for the purpose of calculating Instant Death.

--I'd also really want to add "Hammer of Wrath" and "Strikedown" to this list... Just because all I can see when Suits charge into assault is WHAM crisis suit to the face. Holding off for playtesting, to see if it biases suits too much toward CC, but the number crunch still puts it as a last resort.


Ethereal: Adamantium Will added, Price of Failure simply changed to +1BS and Preferred Enemy.

Something in the Air changed: Enemy Psykers or Brotherhoods of Psykers within 24” and Line of Sight of the Ethereal (or any vehicle he's embarked in) must match or beat the Ethereal in an Opposed Leadership Test each turn before they generate Warp Charge.

If they fail this test, reduce their Psyker Mastery Level by 1 until the end of the turn. Additional Ethereals within 24” of a Psyker or Brotherhood of Psykers each inflict a -1 penalty to their Roll for this test. Regardless, only 1 test is taken per turn, per Psyker or Brotherhood of Psykers.

Honour Guard:
Our Lives are yours: Honour Guard autmoatically pass Look Out, Sir! Tests, and any unsaved wounds allocated to an Ethereal are instead allocated to an Honour Guard in his unit.

--I'd love to give more special rules to Honour Guard, but the only one I can think of is Rampage. It just fits so well with the thought of "Fighting off the unruly mobs, but not being as 'good' as other elite CC units."

Stealth Suits' Stealth Field Generator: This unit and any attached drones gain the Jink, Stealth, and Shrouded special rules when targeted by an enemy 6", 12", and 18" away, respectively. These bonuses stack. Units 24+” away cannot target or draw Line of Sight to this unit; they cannot see it at all. Units wishing to Assault this unit must roll 3D6 and drop the highest for their Charge distance.

--tl;dr 2+ cover almost always, hard to really kill outside of charge.

Spotting Stand cahnge: The Sniper Suit may use its Spotting Stand instead of taking any voluntary actions (shooting, running, etc.,) in your Shooting Phase. If it does, it may fire a single weapon in your opponent's Assault Phase, otherwise following normal Shooting rules.

Shi'Mont'Ka (precision Rail Rifle) change: At least 1 wound must be allocated against a model with the highest Leadership Value in the unit. If two or more models are tied, you may choose which one receives the wound. Successful Look Out, Sir! attempts must be rerolled.

Other Stealth Suit changes; Removing jump from them. No more scoot and shoot, though they can still use rapid retreat.

--Sniper Rail Rifle change: S7, AP2, Shred. No more ID against T4 mans, though :C

Fire Warriors: Patient Hunters "Suppressive Fire" swapped to "Killing Floor" -

Killing Floor: At the beginning of each Game Turn, choose between Interceptor or Strikedown. This unit's weapons gain the chosen Special Rule until the end of the Game Turn.

Fire Warriors: Strikers - Formerly the Fire Warriors Mobile Assault Cadre; Gain the following instead of Suppressive Fire

"Decisive Strike: This units weapons gain the Shred and Twin-Linked Special Rules whenever:
-It makes its first shooting attack of the game
-It fires on a target that's at 25% unit strength or less
-It fires on unit that's retreating, pinned, or has gone to ground"

Devilfish:

Change to Drone-Assisted Small Arms: This vehicle may fire Pulse Weapons at its full Ballistics Skill, regardless of how fast it moves, though it may not fire them while moving Flat Out.

Sawfish:

Changed to 2HP Flyer,

Gains Vector Dancer.

A Sawfish may transport up to 6 models from a unit able to purchase it, including room for 2 drones that do not count against this limit.
A Sawfish may transport up to 6 models from a unit able to purchase it, including room for 2 drones that do not count against this limit. The Sawfish ignores the Bulky special rule.

Rapid Transport changes: During the Sawfish's movement in either the Movement or Shooting Phases, a unit that began its Movement Phase embarked on the Sawfish may disembark, Deepstriking anywhere along its path of travel.

If a model Disembarks 24”or more away from its starting location, as measured from the base of the Sawfish at the beginning of the Turn, it may only fire Snap Shots this turn.

Shielded Craft changes: For each Shield Drone the embarked unit is carrying, the Sawfish's AV on all sides increases by +1. All transported Shield Drones may be sacrificed, counting as Destroyed, in place of losing a Hull Point, or in place of a Weapon Destroyed result.


Whaleshark added

Skimmer, BS4, 13/13/12, 4HP

A Whaleshark may transport up to 24 models from a unit able to purchase it, including room for 8 drones that do not count against this limit. Units must normally disembark entirely within 6” of either the fore or rear ports, but may emergency disembark anywhere within 3” of the Whaleshark.

Flechette Assault: Immediately before a unit disembarks from the Whaleshark, you make make an out-of-phase Shooting Attack with the following profile from each Flechette Assault Discharger:

Weapon Range S AP Type
Flechette Assault 6” 3 - Heavy 1, Blast, Shred
Discharger

Armoured Leviathan: This vehicle cannot move more than 6” in the movement phase, and may never move flat out. Close combat attacks always hit automatically, but Shaken and Stunned results are ignored.

Edit: Important distinction in Rapid Retreat: "Toward your Table Edge" has been added as a clause.

Pathfinder: Patient Hunters - Largely the same.

Pathfinder: Strikers:
Special Rules
Decisive Strike, Infiltrate, Scouts, Stealth

Marker Satchel: Once per game, you may designate an enemy unit the Strikers have turbo-boosted over to be hit by a Marker Satchel; That unit immediately takes a pinning test, and gains D6+2 Markerlight Tokens.

They're +1Toughness and Initiative, from being on jetbikes.


Piranhas: Debating either Scouts or Skilled Riders. Largely the same.

Broadsides:

Slow and Purposeful (Change from Relentless)

Dig-In (New special rule): During Deployment, or your Movement Phase, you may declare any number of models in this unit are “Digging In”. These models may not move voluntarily for the rest of the game, and may not shoot in their immediate Shooting Phase (on your turn 1 if they dig-in during deployment). If forced to move because of an opponent's ability, or because they fail morale, they immediately lose the benefits of Digging In.

Models which Dig-In lose Slow and Purposeful, and gain the Skyfire and Interceptors special rules.

Drone Harbinger: Not much changed here. Some rewordings and a repair ability for hullpoints, but mostly more of the same.

Gunfish Platform: A bit of a rework here; the Bombardment ability changed around because of how I've necessarily altered the Missile FHU, and I added some various submunitions as discussed on page 11. Hailfire altered; they can fire a second time at any unit in range, including the one they just shot, but the second firing is Snap Shots.

Working on Wargear now.

Big one incoming, markerlight changes.

Blacksun Filter brought back; It's too powerful with the new prevalence of Night Fighting, especially rolled into a single item with the Bonding Knife and Target Lock.

Command Helm unchanged, minus Blacksun Filter.


Drone Controller: A model with a Drone Controller may purchase up to 2 of the following Drones for their listed cost. If the model that purchases Drones is removed as a casualty, so are its Drones. Do not count casualties from Drones toward determining Unit Strength, or toward Combat Resolution.

At the beginning of any assault, Drones grant the Hit and Run special rule to their unit for the rest of the turn. A model with a Drone Controller may sacrifice all of its Drones to pass the Hit and Run Initiatve Test automatically. Drones are the same unit type as the model Drone Controller.

Name WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv
Drone 2 2 3 3 1 2 1 5 4+

Gun Drone: Costs 10 Points, and is equipped with a Twin-Linked Pulse Carbine.

Marker Drone: Costs 25 Points, and is equipped with a Markerlight.

Missile Drone: Costs 10 Points, and must purchase and equip 1 Seeker Missile.

Shield Drone: Costs 20 Points, and is equipped with a Shield Generator. It has Toughness 5 and a 3+ Armour Save. It may purchase Iridium Armour for 5 Points.

Sniper Drone: Costs 25 Points and is equipped with a Rail Rifle. Has BS3.



EMP Grenades: EMP Grenades are Haywire Grenades that instead use the following modified chart for the Haywire Special Rule:

D6 Result
1 or 2 No Effect
3-5 Glanceing Hit
6 Penetrating Hit

Ion Weapons: Ion weapons are Rending, and are AP 2 against Vehicles. Ignore Glancing Hits from Ion Weapons

Heavy Ion cannon dropped to Heavy 2, from Heavy 3.


Iridium Armour: Models with Iridium Armour have their Armour Save increased to 2+. However, all Assault Moves are reduced by 3”. Models with Iridium Armour do not suffer Instant Death from weapons with high Strength.


Markerlight: At the beginning of your Shooting Phase, a model with a Markerlight may allocate a single Markerlight Token on any enemy unit within 48” and Line of Sight, counting as having fired 1 weapon. This does not allow it to target units farther than 36” away during Night Fighting, nor does it mean that that model, or its unit, must fire at this target. They are free to choose their own target after Markerlight Tokens are allocated.

Markerlight Tokens last until the beginning of your next turn. They can be spent any time a unit would be able to fire upon a Marker-Lit target. Any Non-Auxiliary unit may spend Markerlight Tokens on the unit it has declared its shooting against. You must declare how many tokens the firing unit spends, and on which effects, before you roll to-hit.

Effects are cumulative. Firing units gain all the benefits of each Markerlight Token they spend for their shooting. Effects apply only to that shooting, unless they state otherwise.

The following are effects which any eligible unit may spend Markerlight Tokens upon while shooting; some units may have their own effects, which will be listed in their unit entry.

- For 1 Markerlight Token, a the Firing Unit may reduce the
Cover Save of the Target Unit by 1 for each Markerlight
Token spent on this effect.

- For 1 Markerlight Token, a the Firing Unit may ignore
Night Fighting against the Target Unit.

- For 1 Markerlight Token, a the Firing Unit may increase the
Ballistics Skill of the Firing Unit by 1, for each Markerlight
Token spent on this effect, to a maximum of 5 (Note that
this does not affect Snap Shots!)

- For 1 Markerlight Token, a Firing Unit may reduce the Leadership of the Target Unit by 1 for each Markerlight Token spent on this effect, to a minimum of 0. This reduction only applies to Pinning Tests.

- For 1 Markerlight Token, a the Firing Unit may call in a
Seeker Missile. The Seeker Missile is fired at BS5. See the
Seeker Missile Entry for more details on this Effect.

- For 2 Markerlight Tokens, a Firing Unit's weapons become
Pinning. For an additional 2 Markerlight Tokens, the Target
Unit takes a Pinning Test for each unsaved wound taken
from this shooting.

- For 2 Markerlight Tokens, a Seeker Missile may fire itself,
unaided by another Firing Unit, at the Target Unit.

- For 2 Markerlight Tokens, the Firing Unit gains Preferred Enemy against the Target Unit.

- For 3 Markerlight Tokens, a Firing Unit's Snap Shots are resolved at BS 3 against the Target Unit.

- For 3 Markerlight Tokens, a Firing Unit's shots become Precision Shots agains the Target Unit.

Plasma Blade: Plasma Blades are Lightning Claws, as as listed in the Core Rulebook, Page 60. Furthermore, when attacking with 2 Plasma Blades, a model may re-roll failed to-hit rolls.

Plasma Knife:

Weapon Range S AP Type
Plasma Knife - User - Melee, Rending

Pulse Weapons:

Weapon Range S AP Type
Pulse Carbine 18” 5 5 Salvo 2/3, Pinning
Pulse Repeater 30” 5 5 Salvo 20/12, Pinning
Pulse Rifle 30” 5 5 Salvo 1/2
Pulse Sniper 48” X 5 Salvo 1/2, Sniper

Rail Weapons: Rail weaponry has the special type, “Rail”, with a number proceeding i.e., “Rail 2”. For every shot from a Railgun that hits, roll an additional number of “to-wound” dice equal to the proceeding number in the Rail type. For example, a Rail Rifle, with the “Rail 1” type would roll 2 To-Wound dice for each successful hit. Rail weapons are always Pinning and Strikedown.

Weapon Range S AP Type
Rail Cannon 120” 10 1 Heavy 2, Rail (3)
Railgun 72” 10 1 Heavy 1, Rail (2)
Rail Repeater 36” 6 3 Heavy 3, Rail (1)
Rail Rifle 36” 6 3 Heavy 1, Rail (1)
Rail Sniper 60” 8 2 Heavy 1, Rail (2)


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Seeker Missiles: Seeker Missiles are special 1-shot Missiles, which certain Tau units may equip, like Hunter Killer Missiles. Seeker Missiles have a few key differences: They are treated as if they always have unobscured Line of Sight to their target, they never grant cover - except from Area Terrain, Special Rules, and Wargear - and they determine Armour Facing from their Origin.

Seeker Missiles are fired at a Ballistics Skill of 5. A Seeker Missile may only be fired when another effect, special rule, or piece of wargear allows it to – it cannot fire normally.

A Seeker Missile's Origin is determined by which type of Seeker Missile it is; If it's equipped by a Vehicle or Bastion, its origin is determined by where it's been modeled. If it's equipped by a model without a Hull, it uses that model's Base. If it's purchased as part of your Seeker Missile Reserves, its Origin is anywhere along your Table Edges from deployment.

As mentioned, a Tau Empire Army has a Reserve of Seeker Missiles. You may fire up to 5 Seeker Missiles per turn from this reserve, and you may purchase up to 30 Seeker Missiles of any type to fill it. Like Seeker Missiles equipped by your models, these Seeker Missiles must first be allowed to fire.

When an Armylist Entry allows a model to equip a Seeker Missile, it may purchase any of the following:

Weapon Cost Range S AP Type
Airburst 10 ∞” 5 5 Assault 1, Large Blast Inferno 10 Template 4 4 Assault 1, Torrent*
Melta** 35 ∞” 8 1 Assault 1, Melta
Standard 10 ∞” 8 3 Assault 1

*The Template for this attack may be placed anywhere within 12” of the Target Unit, with the large end no closer to the Origin than the narrow end.

**Although this weapon has infinite range, treat only the first 12” from the Origin as “melta” range.

Seeker Missiles: A Seeker Missile is an additional weapon, purchasable either as equipment, or for a special Seeker Missile Reserve. You may purchase up to 30 Missiles of any type for this Reserve, though you may only fire up to 5 each Player Turn from it. Seeker Missiles fired from Reserve use any point along your table edges as their Origin point, whereas models use their Base, or the place the missile is modeled on their Hull, for the Seeker Missile's Origin.

Seeker Missiles ignore cover except from: Area Terrain, Special Rules, and Wargear - and may hit and wound models they do not have Line of Sight to. However, a Seeker Missile may not be fired unless another effect, special rule, or piece of wargear allows it to (such as Markerlight Effects or Smart Missile Systems).

The following are the types of Seeker Missiles, and their points costs for purchase.

Weapon Cost Range S AP Type
Airburst 10 ∞” 5 5 Assault 1, Large Blast Inferno 10 Template 4 4 Assault 1, Torrent*
Melta** 25 ∞” 8 1 Assault 1, Melta
Standard 10 ∞” 8 3 Assault 1

*The Template for this attack may be placed anywhere within 6” of the Target Unit, with the large end no closer to the Origin than the narrow end.

**Although this weapon has infinite range, treat only the first 18” from the Origin as “melta” range.

Shield Generator: Confers a 4+ Invulnerable Save and the benefits of Defensive Grenades to the model possessing it.

Smart Missile System (SMS): A model with an SMS allows a single Seeker Missile to fire at a Target Unit within 36” and Line of Sight of the model with the SMS. Treat using the SMS as firing a single weapon, it cannot be a Snap Shot.

Spotting Stand: Found Here on Page 13
Top

Targeting Array: A model with a Targeting Array increases its Ballistics Skill by 1. This increase applies to Snap Shots, and is added after all other modifiers.
(A big upgrade, making this a contender with Twin-Linked in some cases. Going to see a lot more 'expensive' suit-bombs I feel)



Vehicle Armoury

Decoy Pods: Vehicles may purchase a number of Decoy Pods up to the limit listed in their Armylist Entry. Each Decoy Pod allows the vehicle to re-roll a single cover save, after which the Decoy Pod is expended and removed from play. As well, as long as the Vehicle has at least as many Decoy Pods as it has Hull Points, it gains the Stealth special rule.

Flechette Launcher: Any Unit charging a unit containing Flechette Launchers suffers 1D6 S3 hits during the Overwatch Step for each Flechette Launcher in the unit being charged. Models with Shield Generators may always purchase 1 Flechette Launcher for 3 points.

Heavy Ion Cannon: The Heavy Ion Cannon is Rending, and counts as AP 2 against Vehicles. Ignore Glancing Hits from this weapon.

Weapon Range S AP Type
Heavy Ion 48” 7 3 Heavy 2, Blast
Cannon

Micro-Burst Rockets:

Weapon Range S AP Type
Micro-Burst 36” 5 5 Heavy 3, Barrage, Blast
Rockets

Missile FHU: The Missile FHU equips the Vehicle with 1 Seeker Missile of your choice each Player Turn. It starts with 0, but may equip a maximum of 6 Seeker Missiles.

Treat the Missile FHU as the Origin for these Seeker Missiles when firing; the Missile FHU can be removed from play on a Weapon Destroyed result.

Multi-Tracker: A Vehicle with a Multi-Tracker is treated as Fast for the purpose of firing its weapons. A Fast vehicle with a Multi-Tracker

Positional Relay: Friendly Non-Auxiliary units Deepstriking within 12” of a model with a Positional Relay do not scatter. Models with Positional Relays never test for Dangerous Terrain.

Just curious chris, I've noticed your last few updates have been without dakkadakka feedback in between the updates. Are you going off of personal playtesting, or are you also playtesting this fandex with people on other 40K sites?

Both! The last few updates have been with Vassal playtesting, /tg/ math hammering, a bit on warseer/bols/B&C/ATT/TO/GitP, and a lot of help from my local group.

But the 6th edition update overall has mostly just been updating and streamlining. I haven't had a chance to playtest under 6th edition rules at all yet

Cool! Glad to hear it. And abrasive as they can be, /tg/ is a pretty decent resource for advice and playtesting (Assuming you can get momentum for a thread so it doesn't fall off the first couple pages).

I honestly wish I could get my local gaming group to help me try playing this. They're die-hard "Go Official GW or go home" kind of players, and their ultra-competitive WAAC attitude would probably help find any remaining flaws or changes needed in your codex.

Ive found WAAC listbuilding and playstyles have been the most helpful in redefining wargear and points costs overall. There was an iteration where Sniper Suits were 1-6 and didn't have to purchase Sniper Drones or Markerlight Drones to artificially bump their cost... it got nasty.

The only sad thing about this edition will be 10-12 point Fire Warriors returning. With the change to Salvo for Pulse Rifles, and the addition of a 3" assault move made possible by the larger assault ranges of every unit, it really emphasizes a more 'mobile defense line' style of play, rather than a "run toward you to get the alphastrike with medium-range weapons, then sacrifice units to run away" sort of thing we've been delegated to - and it allows us to experiment with fire warriors being actually potent at range.

A few various changes from the above, addition of Skyfire Drone (Twin-Linked BS2 Skyfire Missile Pod, 25-30 points, unsure.)

Gunfish Platform now has option for a simple Skyfire build; 4 missile pods with skyfire for 60 points, precludes the option of any other mounts.

Working on some artillery and fortifications now. Main post is updated with most current .pdf for play!

Finally reading over your rules, and I have to say I'm very very impressed.

A few notes:
You left out the letter 'a' in "Repeater" for the Gunfish entry, and added an 'e' in "Glancing" for the EMP grenades under the Equipment. No biggie.

Drone Controller helm should probably specify that the drones that don't count towards CR or 25% casualties are only drones from the drone controller (Assuming that this was your intention. Otherwise Drone Squadrons are even more kickass).

If I understand the entry right, I can choose to fire a seeker missile at an enemy unit before the start of my next turn, without having a firing unit also firing on it, as long as the target has 2+ markerlights on it (And after expending 2 lights)?

Do the extra "to-wound" dice from the Rail (n) rule mean that each hit you roll 2 (For Rail 2) and pick the highest, or that you've in essence his and are attempting to confirm two wounds? If the latter, does this mean hitting a vehicle means you roll twice for penetration and could potentially damage a vehicle twice or more with the same shot?

What do you mean by the asterisked information for a Melta seeker missile? Does that mean the hit rolls 2d6 for pen if the firing point was within 18" of the target?

I don't think you ever stated the stats for the Ethereal's Podium of War dedicated transport option.

Am I right in reading the stacking of Jink, Stealth, and Shrouded for stealthsuits as giving them a 2+ cover outside of 18"? Sheesh. Seems like this could be abused if someone were to run them with Drone Controllers and sniper drones.

Why give pulse rifles/snipers Salvo instead of Rapid Fire?

What is the Sawfish's Modular Ion weapon in the army list?

I suspect you have already answered this in a previous post somewhere, and as much as I love sawfish, but why are Pathfinder Hunters required to still take the transport option?

Have you had any issues with abuse of Sawfish as super-fast deepstrike guarantees? Like people using them to purposefully supersonic over an enemy target and then dropping in precision suits? If not, why have you not decided to give Positional Relays as an upgrade options for Piranhas?

Does the automatic Drone Squadron embarked on the Harbinger count as a new squadron, and if so, does it occupy a Fast Attack slot? Or does this indicate the purchasing unit or the drones included with the Harbinger in the price? (I'm confused. If I buy a fast attack drone squadron and get a dedicated Harbinger transport, as far as I can tell I've just bought 2 Fast attack slots, 1 Heavy support slot, and 2 drone squadrons along with the harbinger, i think).

Sorry about the load of questions. The codex looks amazing, and there are dozens of entries and abilities/equipment I absolutely adore (Markerlight satchels and the jetbike pathfinders, for one)

1) Oh god, me fail engrish :C

2) Added "These drones"; Good catch, it was in the old one and I don't know why it wasn't included this time around.

3) Yup. If you've got leftover markerlight baggage, you may expend it however you please, assuming you either have enough to fire a seeker missile, or a unit that can overwatch or fire at reserves.

4) The second, and no; only to-wound dice gain extra. Against vehicles, I Rail weaponry is already powerful enough with the buff of AP2 and 1, and the pseudobuff of S6. This of course may be changed if they prove to be an option that's taken far less than the alternatives, or not at all, but I feel their ability to wound multiple models on a hit should be something players find interesting. I hope.

Designwise, It's an attempt to replace the old rumoured 'rail' rule, where rail weaponry would be added to many armies in the form of a doom-ray-like mechanic. I'd had these Rail weapons as a straight-line doomray that would roll for 1-3d6" of 'doom ray' depending on the strength, and stop if it failed to wound or penetrate. I feel that the way it is now is much less abusable and much less powerful, allowing me to tone down the cost of rail rifles from ~15 to ~10 - though it's still ~15 for initial playtesting.

5) Yes. Do you have any suggestion on how to make this clearer?

6) Not yet. It's a WIP; I accidentally murder-boated it and I don't want it to be a murderboat. Others might however, and I guess that's something I have to take into consideration. Darn kids and their murderboats.

7) Well, considering their weapons have only 24" range, I could extend it to 24", and 'invisibility' to 36" - right now, Stealth Suits have Stealth and Shrouded all the time in the 'real' codex, and you can place them behind your forward troops, or in terrain, quite easily to gain 2+ cover all the time. I'd intended them to be more of a work-alone unit, however, so I'd buffed their cost and granted them a bit of a scaling effect, instead of an always-on effect. They still melt to bolter or lasgun fire - most canny players are simply going to be keeping them 'danced' outside of the range/invisibility line with thrust movement.

Overall, when you look at what you're buying, they're about as survivable as crisis suits against small-arms fire from a distance. And if your enemy is going to throw battle cannons at the mirage in the distance, that is entirely his right. (which isn't to say that if it DOES become an abuse problem, it won't get switched up).

8) Complete alteration to Firewarrior gameplay. Carbines might go back to Assault 2, but the intent here is to have Patient Hunters be in position where you want them as fast as possible to use the Killing Floor and larger Salvo range and shots to take down enemies BEFORE they force casualties on you. This, of course, comes at the increased price of 12 points per model - but it's much more interactive with your opponent than either sitting in a line at the back of the table and doing very little, or charging up in a devilfish and splooting a unit, then dying to the countersploot. Of course i'm aware that this is an extreme hyperbole of the situation, but letting both players do a bit more in response to each other is something I feel has been sorely lacking in the design of 40K - which is why I was excited for things like Challenges, until I read how poorly they were executed :C

9) It's up in the Wargear; a Modular Ion Weapon lets you fire 1 of 3 different profiles (Ass4, Blast2, or Template). The three different Ion weapons were... subpar when separated - they were never chosen and never performed well in 'abuse' tests. Combining them and increasing the price lets them be a weapon of effect simply by granting situational power. The idea was implemented late in the 5th edition run but never made it to dakka dakka because I didn't update for a while in between 5th and 6th.

10) Artificial points increase. They're hyperefficient at 20 points per model (they're 12-point firewarriors with BS4 and a free pulse sniper that get a markerlight for half price!) The intent was to make them expensive enough to not be abused, while still letting you GET something out of that extra expense. And as much as that sucks for pathfinder enthusiasts, just take heart in knowing that your favourite dudes are so awesome that they had to be meta-nerfed.

11) Sawfish get Positional Relays because they must start in reserve, and don't come on until at least turn 2. They must spend turn 2 on the board and be alive for turn 3 before Positional Relays work for them. Piranhas don't have this problem, and can be anywhere on the board by turn 2's reserves.

It's a simple thing to miss because of the way 6e reserves work with fliers

12) I'll specify that the included Drones unit is part of the Heavy Support Slot, and is purchased as part of the Harbinger. The harbinger's then-apparent 'cheapness' is slightly misleading, as you need at least 120 points more of drones to make best use of it.

13) Not at all! You've brought issues to light, forced me to question why I've done things a certain way, enacted very sensible changes, and increased the overall input for statistical purposes. Science can now be done.

Edit: Download on the front updated with proposed changes. Thanks again

3-4) Fair enough. I do miss the pancake Rail rule though... :(

5) "The target is considered to be within half range for the purposes of the Melta rule if the target model is within 18" of the firing model/origin point." Although to be frank that seems slightly overcosted imo. Haven't playtested it though so I could easily be very wrong.

6) Maybe just make it a tough-as-gak transportboat that significantly boosts the range of Reverence (Maybe to 24 or 36"?). Give it 4 shield drones it can detatch as normal with the ablative wounds/+AV capability like the Sawfish has (Starting at av10 all around, so with the drones it's AV14)? That way it's harder to murderize with and becomes a juicy target but will soak lots of shots before finally going down.

7) Fair enough. Plus making them worth the points but not as vulnerable to lasguns/bolters is a good choice in my book.

8) I mean more why use Salvo 1/2 instead of Rapid Fire for the rifle and sniper? Salvo 1/2 is Rapid Fire, with higher salvo numbers representing Rapid Fire with more shots for half-full range (Unless I missed something important under the Salvo rules that's significantly different from Rapid Fire).

9) Seems like decent idea.

10) I understand the need to knock up their points, but giving them a D-fish could be a liability if you're trying to build a low-armor list (Because every vehicle has a much higher chance to be shot at if your opponent has less options to fire at). Why not artificially bump the price, and then allow them to take an unupgraded D-fish at no cost (With options to add the listed upgrades if the player wishes)?

11) Right, I missed that. I was just thinking if the sawfish (Or multiple sawfishes) survived until reserves start coming on, especially with the new 3+ for reserves, they could unleash a boatload of nasty deepstriking suits, drones, or (iirc) gunfish right on enemy flanks or objectives. A good/cool tactic, but one I'd hope wouldn't be overpowered.

12) So if I understand it right, you can get a harbinger by either A) Buying a drone squad, then buying the harbinger as a dedicated transport (So doesn't occupy a Heavy Support slot?) or B) Buying the Heavy Support Harbinger, which includes a free unit of drones as part of the HS slot? If A) I think you should copy the Harbinger entry to the Dedicated Transport entry (and edit out the drones it includes). If the Dedicated Harbinger should still occupy a HS slot, note that under the Dedicated Transport entry to avoid confusion (As it is, by far, the most confusing thing in an otherwise straightforward codex)

13) Lol. Yay science.

5) Alright, that's easy enough. It's @30 points because frankly, it's been terribly abused in the past.

6) Seems fine enough; the problem is I'd wanted it to use the new chariot rules I suppose. Think Prophets from Halo 2 with their gorram murderbeams.

7)

8) Salvo 1/2 is 1 shot at half range if they move, or 2 shots at full range if they don't. It changes their dynamic to "Sit at as close to 30" and murderize, using the Rapid Retreat to reposition." It's the opposite of rapidfire

10) You don't need to be embarked on the vehicle. You can even use it to Rapid-Retreat behind. It's never going to be a liability because it's technically 'free' already - drawing fire from your squishies is a bonus

11) This is something else Pathies are supposed to be doing with the vehicle; Since they have Scouts and all. Drones and Gunfish don't have Deepstrike (I removed it from Drones when I made them into Jetbikes), but Devilfish do; I've got a tentative list with Deepstriking Fire Warriors: Strikers that puts out 18 S5 pinning shots with Carbines when it comes in, backed by the Devilfish w/ multitracker for softening things up. The Decisive Strike makes it pretty brutal.

12) Reasonable enough.

8) Ooooooooh. Now I get it. Then yes, I wholeheartedly agree with that change.

10) I mean as a kill-point vulnerability, especially given the prevalence of kill-point reliant scenarios.

11) Iw as thinking more of fusion suits with target locks dropping in and melting apart a parking lost, or with plas rifles and decimating a MEQ squad, but I get what you're saying.

10) Hm, To be honest, if I was going to give a killpoint away, I'd rather it be a 'free' devilfish than an expensive pathfinders unit. Just saying.

11) Yeah that's fine though; if you've got a devilfish w/ positional up there and it's not dead, there's no problems dropping your suits there. See: Sternguard Veterans.

Also waoh, Rapid Retreat, forgot to state vehicles couldn't use it. JUKING BARACUDAS AND PIRANHAS EVERYWHERE!

Also, Ethereals are unique - a carryover from 5e. It's like I didn't even look at them lol.

Also forgot Very Bulky on Shas'Vre and Commander.

Also forgot Our Lives are Yours allows challenge wounds to be intercepted.

Also, Sawfish are HP1 not HP2. I copied them from the Piranha entry.

Dig In should require Broadsides not to move in the movement phase; i.e. at the beginning. Whups.



Anyone have ideas for Drone Artillery? I'm thinking either HS or Fortifications, similar to the Aegis Defense Line.

10) True point. It was just a thought.

11) Ah, that makes sense. Just wanted to be sure it was an anticipated possible strategy.

Drone artillery, as in lobbing drones at the enemy?

Seriously, that could make for a cool entry. It could be something like this:

48" S5 AP5 Heavy 2d3,Blast, Barrage, Incoming Drones!

Incoming Drones: For each shot, after resolving the wounds, if possible place a single Gun Drone model under each barrage template, and you may place them witin 1" of enemy models as long as they are not touching or overlapping the enemy model bases (For multiple overlapping templates such as for Hits, you may place multiple drones under the same template as long as they all remain under the template). Any Drones that are unable to be placed are not placed. The remaining drones form a New Drone Squadron that does not offer a Victory Point if destroyed (Although they may still count towards First Blood and other objectives dependent on destroying enemy models). The new drones may not shoot and do not count as being locked in Assault, although they may not make an Assault move this turn.

Incoming drones seems a lot like Tyranid spore mines... I was thinking more like artillery drones T7 W2 Sv3+ with Micro-Burst Rockets and some crew sort of thing.

Something similar to that I'd been tossing around in other threads has been Tigershark drones; basically suicide remoras (oh gak remoras! imma get in on that!), but they're skyfire-only...

Might be something to think about as an upgrade for the Drone Harbinger; instead of repairing drones, it shoots them D:

Yeah. Justify it as a modified railgun using Specialized drones with a hardened casing instead of solid metal slugs. Less efficient (So slower speed and less range than a railgun) but allows for drone deployment at range. Drones come flying in like metal doom frisbees, and create an immediate issue to bind up the enemy unit.

Perhaps if it's a harbinger upgrade then it removes the ability to repair drones and replaces it with the launcher ability, with a # of shots in the barrage equal to the # of drones in the "fired" squadron (So it becomes a limited # of shots to try to stop abuse of it to tie up enemy units)

hm, purchasing ammo for it in the form of an actual drone unit wouldn't be bad at all.

Now I want to update the Angry Marines codex and see how viable they still are.