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I've put this up on the GW forums already, and seem to have a nice list going. I'd like to have your input

HQ
Shas'el w/TL fusion blasters, shield generator, hw drone controller w/ 2 shield drones

 

E
3 Crisis Suits w/ Team Leader w/ Burst Cannon, TL missile pod, hw multitracker, hw drone controller w/ 2 shield drones, bonding knife, 2 crisis suits w/ burst cannon, missile pod, multitracker

 

3 stealthsuits w/ team leader w/ markerlight, target lock, blacksun filter, drone controller w/ 1 markerdrone, 2 stealthsuits w/ burst cannons

3 stealthsuits w/ team leader w/ markerlight, target lock, blacksun filter, drone controller w/ 1 markerdrone, 2 stealthsuits w/ burst cannons

 

T
14 kroot w/ 1 shaper

14 kroot w/ 1 shaper

 

10 fire warriors w/ shas'ui w/ markerlight, blacksun filter, devilfish w/ multitracker, decoy launcher, seeker missile

10 fire warriors w/ shas'ui w/ markerlight, devilfish w/ multitracker, decoy launcher

10 fire warriors w/ shas'ui w/ markerlight, devilfish w/ multitracker, decoy launcher

 

FA
2 piranhas w/ decoy launcher, seeker missile, fusion blaster

2 piranhas w/ decoy launcher, seeker missile, fusion blaster

 

HS
hammerhead w/ railgun, 2 burst cannons, decoy launcher, multi-tracker, blacksun filter, disruption pod.

________________________________________

so.....lemme know what you think!

total:2000pts
total models: 96
total skimmers: 8

The GW forum crowd is basically a bunch of mentally defectives. Take their musings with a grain of salt.

This list is full of overpriced toys, poor selections, a lack of synergy and a lack of shots.

1. HQ selection: Giving up IC status to get shield drones (far worse protection) is a bad idea. TL guns on a guy who can have BS5 for 10 pts is not good. 12" guns on a guy who can have 24" plasma and tankbusting missile pods is bad.

2. Your stealthsuits are paying a premium for markerlights that are very hard to kill due to stealth, and that is great. But they don't put out enough shots and cost too many points for markerlights.

3. Your crisis suits are the only place you get Ap2 firepower. They must have plasmaguns.

4. Kroot do not need shapers. Paying 21 pts for 1 pt of leadership is a bad idea.

5. Why would you buy devilfish for firewarriors with a heavy weapon? They are not going to be moving and deploying out of the devilfish, so don't buy them one. Maybe just maybe if you buy an SMS on the fish to use it as firesupport...but pathfinders are a far more efficient way of doing this.

6. Piranhas I don't think I would take except in squads of 4 or squads of 1. Squads of 1 are great cos they're likely to be ignored. Squads of 4 are great cos you have to kill 3 to get any points.

7. You need 2 or 3 heavy selections in a Tau army. It's where your tankpopping comes from, and also where your horde control comes from. 2 broadsides and one hammerhead is minimum.

If you want to win in a competitive (even marginally) environment you are going to need to rethink everything. If you're winning already, the people you play with are noobs.

In retrospect, the stealth suits might be OK if you really wanted marker shots. But if you really want marker shots, take some pathfinders and get more things worth markerlighting.

p.s. Welcome to Dakka

alright! thats a lot.

heres a different list. im trying to work in a budget. good thing i havent bought that yet! really, the only "competitive" player in our group is our space wolf player, and i beat him (although it was with a different list) lets give this one a shot!

HQ
Shas'el w/ missile pod, plasma rifle, targetting array, hw multitracker

E
3 Crisis Suits w/ team leader w/ plasma rifle, tl missile pod, hw multitracker, hw drone controller w/ 2 shield drones, bonding knife, 2 suits w/ multitrackers, plasma rifles and missile pods

4 Stealthsuits w/ burst cannons

4 stealthsuits w/ burst cannons

T
14 kroot

14 kroot

10 fire warriors w/ shas'ui w/ hw drone controller w/ 2 gun drones, devilfish w/ decoy launchers

10 fire warriors w/ shas'ui w/ hw drone controller w/ 2 gun drones, devilfish w/ decoy launchers

10 fire warriors w/ shas'ui w/ hw drone controller w/ 2 gun drones, devilfish w/ decoy launchers

FA
 1 piranha w/ fusion blaster, decoy launchers, targetting array

 1 piranha w/ fusion blaster, decoy launchers, targetting array

 1 piranha w/ fusion blaster, decoy launchers, targetting array

HS
1 hammerhead w/ railgun, smart missile system, multitracker, target lock, decoy launchers

1 team leader broadside w/ advanced stabilization system, tl railgun, smart missile system, hw multitracker

1 team leader broadside w/ advanced stabilization system, tl railgun, smart missile system, hw multitracker

i feel this is more destructive, sort of, but i have ZERO markerlights. i have no idea where to put them. if you have any further comments, please post

I think that looks better. I'd drop the gun drones and shasui upgrades off all your fire warriors and put shield drones and possibly plasmaguns on your broadsides.

I think though that if you're going to run a mechanized Tau list you'd be better off using 3 hammerheads, all in all.

One of the more Tau expert guys can probably dissect you a little more. I think you're stuck midway between mechanized and not, and need to pick a side of the fence.

Markerlights really are great with fireknife suits, imho. I think a list with a bunch of fireknife suits, a bunch of kroot, pathfinder squads with SMS fish and hammerheads would do just peachy. Tau do not need markerlights - it's a cool list style, but you shouldn't pay premium for them unless you're really gonna use them (squads of 3 fireknife suits, or 3 broadsides, are the ideal targets for markerlights).

i dropped the gun drones for shield drones for the battlesuits, points wise, it worked out perfectly. alright here's the thing.

i guess i may not be "mechanized" exactly, but most of the things in my army have the ability to move 12" or more, or infiltrate. the things that dont have anything fast (broadsides), should stay near the back anyways. i know how to be competitive with a stand and shoot army, but a full mech army would be cheesy in my honest opinion, and nobody would play me, and i wouldnt force them to. i would rather include various aspects of the army than be "hammerhead hammerhead hammerhead, six fire warriors, six fire warriors, crisis up the wazoo" style. altogether, this force is fun to look at, fun to play, and rewarding when victorious

I think this a good start to list for fun or in a tournament where composition and sportsmanship weigh heavily. Also, many Tau players use a mixed force. Infac the grandfather of tau tactics here on dakka used a mixed force quite well. You just have to consider its limitations and faults compared to the pure mech/static lists.

Some basic changes I'd make:
-Your crisis suit team isn't my cup of tea personally (I like single or two man teams) but with two stealth teams I can see the need to go with the 3rd suit. Consider, though, that jump shoot and jump can protect the unit just as well or better then the sheild drones. Drop them and (the upgraded suit with goodies) to net some points (see below).

-I'd personally ditch the drones on the FWs, as it adds nothing to the unit. Go with 12 man units.

-I'd also drop one FW squadand a pirhanna in favor of a pathfinder unit. If buying expensive metal modles is an issue or you already have the FWs, just convert them to pathfinders. This is pretty easy to do really.

-Use remaining points to add 2 stealth suits to each unit (by my rough calcs you should have enough points).

hahahaha, too true.