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Having read up on tau tactics, I revised my army roster that I would like to take to my next lfgs tourney. First prize is a battleforce, and my wife promised to start playing if I won her a free necron battleforce, so crushing all opposition is of the utmost importance. The new ork codex is not valid for it (which sucks because I have alot more experience with orks) so I am going with my secondary army. Without further saying stuffs:

H.Q:

Shas'O (bs 5 leader) 112
Airbursting fragmentation grenades, missile pod, multi tracker

Shas'O 115
Cyclic ion blaster, plasma riffle, multi tracker

Elites

2x Crisis suits 124
plasma riffle, missile pod, multi tracker

2x Crisis suits 124
plasma riffle, missile pod, multi tracker

3x Stealth suits 230
Team leader, markerlight, bonding knife, 2x drone controllers, 4x markerlight drones

Troops

8x fire warriors 80

Devilfish 80

8x fire warriors 80

Devilfish 80

10x kroot 70

Fast Attack

Piranha 80
Fusion blaster, Targeting array, Seeker missile

Piranha 80
Fusion blaster, Targeting array, Seeker missile

Piranha 80
Fusion blaster, Targeting array, Seeker missile

Heavy Support

Hammerhead 170
Railgun, smart missile system, decoy launcher, disruption pod

Hammerhead 170
Railgun, smart missile system, decoy launcher, disruption pod

Hammerhead 175
Railgun, smart missile system, decoy launcher, disruption pod, blacksun filter

1850 even

It plays very much like the typical mech tau, with a few modifications. First you may notice the redicusly overpriced stealth team. Well they are my replacement for pathfinders, who tend to eat an early charge after marking one target. I have had success with this squad in the past, with there stealth fields making them practically immune to long range firepower, and 36" range on the markerlights covering a good portion of the board, especially since they can take advantage of the best spots on the board, even if not in cover. Driving piranha 24" and unloading 3 smart missiles into a tank turn 1 can save a hammerhead for using there pie plate on hordes, or dangerous assault units. Piranha units are great for meq and termie hunting and tank hunting if something somehow survives my other anti tank, and dropping 3 seperate units of gun drones can be useful in tying up devastator type units or just causing target priority tests. They also aid in the fish of fury tactic, where the devilfish along with the piranha make fantastic moving shields to unload the fire warriors where they can be of use. Any suggestions on what I can trim/add to make it that much better. Oh and the cyclic ion blaster stays, 5 str 3 shots may seem underwhelming, but add that to the plasma riffle, and add in any wounds of a 6 negate armor and a balistic skill of 5, and you have a highly successful IC at armor pen shots.

It looks like a pretty strong list. There are just a couple of things you seem to have missed.

The most important point is multitrackers. Your Hammerheads really need these. Without them you can't move over 6" and shoot, leaving you without the SMF rule. Adding these will increase your Hammerheads survivability, not to mention mobility. Also, ditch the Blacksun Filter on the 3rd Hammerhead.

I noticed both of your leaders are Shas'O. Is there a particular reason for this or did you just miss the option of taking a Shas'el and equipping him with a targetting array, creating a BS 5 Suit at a lower points cost. I would suggest you replace your HQ's with: Shas'el; CIB, PR, TA, HWMT and a Shas'el; AFP, TL:MP, HWMT. This will save you 34 points while maintaining the same amount of firepower.

Your Stealth Team is illegal in its current configuration. If any of the team members purchase a hardpoint slot, all must. You only have 2 drone controllers. Another flaw of the stealth team is when it takes casualties. Removing one of the markerlightless stealth suits destroys any drones under their control, so you have no ablative wounds for your markerlights. If you configure the team like this:

Shas'ui; TL, ML, TA, HWDC, HWTL
2x Marker Drones
2x Shas'ui; Blacksun Filter

it will give you 2 ablative wounds. You can even split your markerlight fire with this configuration. I don't know if you really are in need of 5 markerlights, if you are than I suggest you just field your stealth team like this:

Shas'ui; TL, ML, TA, HWDC, HWTL
2x Marker Drones
Shas'ui; DC
2x Marker Drones
Shas'ui; Blacksun Filter

This configuration at least gives you one ablative wound. Also the teamleader has a higher BS and you are able to target 2 different targets with markerlights. If you are short on points I'd suggest ditching either the Targetting Array or the Target Lock (or both) and making the Drone Controller a hardpoint on the team leader.

My last concern is your Devilfish' not having Decoy Launchers. They really are needed and at 5 points, why not take them?

That's all I could think of at the moment. It looks like a strong list though. You'll surely be competing for that necron battleforce

Ah yes, using the cheap leaders and upping there bs is something I missed, and I went over my list again, the stealth suit team was in fact suposed to have a dc, and the other suits had one drone each. Decoy launchers do seem to be needed. And more markerlights are wonderful when you have 3 seeker missiles. So many uses even without. Have you tried flichette dischargers, I play nids and harlie heavy eldar alot, and they charge my vehicles all the time looking for rending shots. I would love to have half of them take wounds on the charge before they even get there shots off. Guess Ill adjust my list and repost it.

Revised list

H.Q:

Shas'el 93
Airbursting fragmentation grenades, twin linked missile pod, multi tracker

Shas'el 100
Cyclic ion blaster, plasma riffle, multi tracker, target array

Elites

2x Crisis suits 124
plasma riffle, missile pod, multi tracker

2x Crisis suits 124
plasma riffle, missile pod, multi tracker

3x Stealth suits 223
Shas'vre, markerlight, bonding knife, target array, hard wire drone controller, hard wired target lock,
hard wired blacksun filter,2x drone controllers, 3x marker drones

Troops

8x fire warriors 80

Devilfish 85
decoy launchers

8x fire warriors 80


Devilfish 85
decoy launchers

10x kroot 76
1x kroot hound

Fast Attack

Piranha 80
Fusion blaster, Targeting array, Seeker missile

Piranha 80
Fusion blaster, Targeting array, Seeker missile

Piranha 80
Fusion blaster, Targeting array, Seeker missile

Heavy Support

Hammerhead 180
Railgun, smart missile system, decoy launcher, target lock, multi tracker

Hammerhead 180
Railgun, smart missile system, decoy launcher, target lock, multi tracker

Hammerhead 180
Railgun, smart missile system, decoy launcher, target lock, multi tracker

well I lost one drone, not a huge deal, and legalized my list. Overall I feel its a strong list, and really for the pathfinders for 4 your paying 48 and 85 for a decent devilfish, though it does give you another tank to field, and its useful if you deepstrike any suits. This list sports 8 vehicles, 6 move and shoot suits, a stealth team for markerlight support (useful because during assault phase you can still reposition with 6 inch move and shoot next round, or just run away 12") 16 fire warriors for an additional firing base, and 10 kroot to push back/pillbox in cover. Normally I dont field that many hammerheads as I find em kinda cheezy (though not falcon cheezy) and drop one for more troops. But lately I have been eating assault death on my immobile guys from armies like chaos fielding 2 demon prince with wings, and 3 squads of raptors, so fight cheeze with cheeze I say.

Edit: changed the hammerheads to give them target locks after dropping disruption pods, took off targeting array on my leader for cheaper twin linked missile pods, added a kroot hound to my kroot for an I5 model to help run stuff down that loses to me in an assault, or just to get away better, and gave the stealth team leader a blacksun filter as his job will be sitting way back and painting targets, as it will help during night fighting-or more evily painting the opposing teams stealth team for a light up.

That list looks better already. Im just curious as why you put the targetting array on the devilfish. Without the multitracker it isn't going to shoot anyway. Also why does the AFP wielding commander have a targetting array? It's cheaper to give him a Twin-Linked Missile Pod. Statistically he will hit more with the Missile Pod and since the AFP doesn't benefit from an increased BS anyway it will get you a better commander for fewer points!

Any points left are best spent on Target Locks for the Hammerheads. When firing Solid Shots at tanks, your Smart Missile System will be wasted points, but with the target lock you can just have the SMS shoot another target which doesn't even have to be within LoS. I would even go as far as to say that Target Locks are more essential to your Hammerheads than the Disruption Pods are. This is a close call though so you'll have to playtest it yourself.

Anyway, I think this list is capable enough to compete for the win in your tournament. Oh and about the Harlequins, try to put one of your piranha's up the falcons rear so they can't disembark and charge the next turn. Good luck and may the greater good prevail

For some reason I completely scanned over the whole guess part of the weapon, so yes twin linked missile pods would be better. And again I am used to playing orks most times with there open topped assault, I forget that it cant be blocked in order for them to disembark and assault. Question though, cant they just pivit on the spot and face a different direction, unload THEN move the falcon?

Pivoting in the movement phase counts as moving. You can pivot and not count as moving in the shooting phase if you haven't moved. So no, they can't Pivot and then disembark and move.

As for the list, let me know how the stealth squad works out for you. Otherwise I think all the other important points have been covered. One thing I'd suggest is putting the seeker missiles on the Hammerheads instead of the Piranhas, only because the hammerheads are way less likely to die and it's not like you need to get close to use them.

I'd also try to find a way to put decoy launchers on the piranhas, but I don't know what you'd lose to do it.

lambadomy wrote:Pivoting in the movement phase counts as moving. You can pivot and not count as moving in the shooting phase if you haven't moved. So no, they can't Pivot and then disembark and move.

As for the list, let me know how the stealth squad works out for you. Otherwise I think all the other important points have been covered. One thing I'd suggest is putting the seeker missiles on the Hammerheads instead of the Piranhas, only because the hammerheads are way less likely to die and it's not like you need to get close to use them.

I'd also try to find a way to put decoy launchers on the piranhas, but I don't know what you'd lose to do it.

I could lose the hammerheads still, and this keeps me from putting all my eggs in one basket as it were. And besides never underestimate starting at the deployment line, turbo boosting 24 inches with all 3, and getting a couple of shots off on a leman russ side armor turn one with stealth markerlights. Even If they make a nasty list to keep all my hammerheads at least shook every turn, thats something else for them to worry about.

Dude you play Tau and Orks dont let your wife start Necrons. Even a person brand new to the game could beat a tournament Tau list with Necrons.