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This list was made mostly for me by a friend (who doesn't play Tau), so I'm wondering what Dakka thinks of it. I don't doubt that he's made a good list, and looking it over myself it looks great, but I just wanted some other feedback. Thanks

HQ Choices
Farsight 170

Crisis Bodyguard -Missile Pod (4), Targeting Array (4), Hard-wired Multi-Tracker (4), Bonding Knife (4) 300

Elites Choices
Crisis Team (3) -Target Lock (3), Fusion Blaster (3), Burst Cannon (3) 160
Shas’vre -Bonding Knife 10

Crisis Team (3) -Target Lock (3), Fusion Blaster (3), Burst Cannon (3) 160
Shas’vre -Bonding Knife 10

Crisis Team (3) -Target Lock (3), Fusion Blaster (3), Burst Cannon (3) 160
Shas’vre -Bonding Knife 10

Troops Choices
Fire Warrior Team (10) 100
Shas’ui -Bonding Knife 10

Fire Warrior Team (10) 100
Shas’ui -Bonding Knife 10

Fire Warrior Team (10) 100
Shas’ui -Bonding Knife 10

Fast Attack Choices
Pathfinder Team (5) 60
Shas’ui -Bonding Knife 10

Pathfinder Devilfish -Disruption Pods 85

Heavy Support Choices
Broadside Team (3) Targeting Array (3) 240
Shas’vre -Bonding Knife, Drone Controller 5
Shield Drones (2) 30

Hammerhead -Railgun, Smart Missile System, Disruption Pod 165

Holy christ.

Burst cannons and fusion blasters on crisis suits!?

The rest doesn't get any better.

Please, no mas. :(

I just don't think Tau are viable for 5th right now period. How are you going to hide all those crisis suits with true LOS rules. If even one dedicated assault element hits your lines you can hang it up as assault is very brutal in 5th. Fusion blasters and burst cannons give you even less range to stop those same assault elements getting to you.

Fair points. At least you guys saved me buying all those suits! (I only have 12 Fire Warriors, a Hammerhead and a Devilfish right now, so I'm trying to figure out a list first, so I don't waste any money.

However, I'm going to stick with Tau, viable or not.

What would you guys change about this list? As in, suit configurations and such. I'll cut down the number of suits, though.

You can hide suits behind Tau vehicles.

It isn't easy, but it's doable. Especially Hammerheads, because they don't really need to move.

I use MP + Plas myself in all configurations.

As soon as I get my handed to me because it sucks, I'll run something else.

I do use Markerlights to make them better than just BS3 whenever I can, of course.

Most people avoid the subset Tau army you've chosen because it's for advanced players--not new players. It's hard to use.

Ok. In 5th I have actually wanted to run a farsight list, as he is a beast in CC. And I want to see the faces of a marine player when I tell him that the tau won close combat (even if it’s by only 1 point)

Ok.

Drop a few fire warriors.

Small squads, with a marker light shas ui work best. Maybe give him a target lock so he can light up something and his shas la buddies can pulse rifle something else. I find 8 is a good number for 2 reasons. 1 it is 100 points for 8 guys a ui and a light. 2 buy 2 boxes of fire warriors and your done.

one troop you might want to look into taking just to throw out a 4+ cover save, or make them waste a turn of shooting at them are human Aux Units. They are Imperial armor, so some tourneys might not allow them. But they make a great meat shield. For 6 points a pop you can get guardsmen that joined the greater good.

Fire knife set up on crisis suits is generally speaking the best all round configuration. *EDIT* for those of you who dont know what that is. it is plasma rifle, missile pod, and a multi tracker *EDIT*
It gives you the best range, high strength for light and med tank hunting, and low AP to take out MEQ’s and termies.

Though a squad of deep striking suits armed with A – fusion blaster, missile pod, multi tracker. Or B – twin linked fusion blaster are great tank hunters. (But then again, so is the railgun)

With 5th Ed out. Horde armies will become more prevalent. I would consider a squad of stealth suits. Just Joe stealth suit though. Use a marker light to boost his BS.

Add a multi tracker and target lock to you hammerhead.
This allows you to move up to 6 inches and fire to full effect. Or move up to 12 inches and fire one of the weapons. And if you move 6 inches, you can shoot a squad with the SMS and something else with the railgun. If you are in a point crunch the target lock can be dropped, and the SMS can become a burst cannon. But keep in mind that the SMS ignores cover saves. So if you want to SMS the boyz behind the grots then the boys don’t get a cover save.

For the broadsides. With the new wound allocation rules. You will want more then 2 shield drones. Take 3 plasma hits, and one is forced on a suit. A squad of 3 with 6 shield drones still makes people poop their pants.
Also they are twin linked, so paying 10 points to make it a higher BS is kind of silly. Use a marker light for that.


The quick version.

Change about everything in the list (sorry)


P.S. I think tau will still be a decent army in 5th.

o one thing i forgot.

i have not tried this YET. but i am thinking of running 2 or 3 sniper drone teams, combined with a pathfinder team, and a few fire warrior lights.

light a important squad up... hit them with BS 4 or 5 rail rifles, use the remaining lights to lower leadership for the pin test they must take.

yes, you are pumping a lot of points into one squad a turn. IDK, i think ill playtest it before i get my hopes up to high.

Farsight is...a...beast...I can't even say it.

Rest of the advice seems fine.

Can't believe someone said that....

ok.. he is a beast for TAU...

you got to remember we are talking about tau hear.

but come on now hitting on 3's, and killing MEQ's on 3's with what is it, 5 attacks on the charge??

Envy89 wrote: But keep in mind that the SMS ignores cover saves. So if you want to SMS the boyz behind the grots then the boys don’t get a cover save.

You sure about that? It says "the target can count the benefits of cover they are in, or are touching".

I mean, I HOPE you're right, but the Codex doesn't support you.

^I really would like to know the anwser to that as well!!! If true I might actually take em!

hear is how i interpert the SMS and untill they FAQ it its how im going to play it.

the SMS ignors cover unless they are in it or are touching it.

so. a unit of boys would inded get a cover save IF they are in base to base contact with a grot wall, or another squad of about anything.

but as far as i know, you cant fit a boy inside a grot and the grots do not make area terrein (yes even if they fourm a complet circle aroudn a unit), so the boys would therefrore not get a cover save if there is any space between da boys and da grots.

Farsight really got shafted in 5th due to the troop’s aspect, but in general I would suggest 3xBASS, all FW squads in DF's, and what ever flavor of the day floats your boat on crisis configurations so long as all your suits have at least one MP.

Firestorm would be a good choice

Having run several Sniper Drone Teams in 5th Edition, I have this to say:

Bloody EVERYthing gets that 4+ cover save, and you want to use your markerlight hits on units with more than three shots (like Fireknife or Deathrains squads, or even submunition hits if you're feeling lucky). MSU (Multiple Small Units) just doesn't work all that well with markerlight support.