Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

My ideal Tau apocalypse force would be a complete Manta Death Blow Cadre. The question is, what to fill the manta with?
Assume this will be a self-contained army, probably as part of a team, arriving from reserve on the second turn. Forget points limits for now.

If we disregard kroot, drone turrets, and heavy gun drones (none of which I have any intention of fielding), the manta's transport options look like this (worked out as a combination of IA 3 and IA Apoc):

Command Deck
One independant character w/ drones

Upper Deck - 48
(1) - Fire Warriors, Stealthsuits, Pathfinders, Gun Drones.

Lower Deck - 140
20 of the following:
(2) - Crisis Battlesuits
(4) - Broadside Battlesuits
- PLUS -
Any four of the following:
(30) - Devilfish, Hammerheads, Sky Rays, Piranha
- OR instead of vehicles -
120 of the following:
(2.4) - Crisis Battlesuits
(4.8) - Broadside Battlesuits

So, given that to choose from, what's the most effective force you can come up with?

I'd go with all the crisis and broadside suits you can stuff in, at a ratio of 3 crisis per 1 broadside.

I should tell you though that I do not play Apocalypse.