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My brain has been thinking a little about my Tau lately. I have to have something to play while orks and SW are under construction. Anyway, in my current list I run two broadsides, one Rail head, and one Ion head. I'm thinking about dropping the ion head for a Skyray because of fifth ed. Back under fourth ed, the Ion head was a wonderful MC, skimmer, vehicle squadron killer. Auto cannons wish they had it as cool as the Ion Cannon. However now under fifth ed, its changing. It seems like everything can get 4+ or better cover saves. I also run SMS systems on all my tanks and the new movement restrictions will cut down the move and shoot capabilities of the Ionhead tank.

However the Sky Ray removes a few of these issues. The markerlights are considered defensive weapons. So a Skyray with Multitracker and SMS can move its full 12" and fire off all its weapons. It has a decreased fire rate as it will fire off two S8 AP3 hits instead of three S7 ap 3 shots. However, S8 can insta-kill stuff, but better yet the seekers ignore cover saves generated by interposing units, the only save you get is if you are in some sort of area terrain. A downside is of course that an Ion head, if lucky, can get off 15-21 shots a game where the Skyray is limited to just the 6 missiles its carrying.

There seems to be a lot of upsides and down sided to trading one out for the other. Points isn't really an issue. The difference between the two for same wargear loadouts is 20 points (favor Ionhead)

I'm just wondering what others thoughts on this would be.

Skyrays are fantastic with other markerlights in the army. I wouldn't (or haven't ever tried) taking one without at least a team of pathfinders. I think they kit out just fine with just burst cannons, disr pods and TA. Cheap, resilient, tricksy!

I think you're right that the Sky-Ray is a very useful tool in the Tau army.


The problem I have with it is that you have to give up a slot that could be used for either a Hammerhead or Broadsides and I believe both of those units are simply needed.

The Hammerhead's blast is just crucial for helping to take on horde armies and the dual use of its Railgun makes it an ideal backup to also take on Land Raiders, etc.

Broadsides are still essential for taking out things like Obliterators, Land Raiders, Monoliths etc. Although Hammerheads can potentially take out your enemy's heavy vehicles, their single shot and potential to be stunned/shaken means that you can't always count on them to take out an enemy vehicle.

2-3 Broadsides firing at a heavy vehicle are just so much more reliable than a single Hammerhead.


So for me, I just have real issues showing up to the table without 2 Hammerheads and one Broadside team in v5 against a random opponent.

Any other combination makes me feel way too vulnerable against too many different army builds.

So unfortunately that means (for me) the Skyray has to stay on the shelf unless I know ahead of time what army I'm playing against.

By switching around your Crisis Suit weapons to carry meltas, you can use your sky rays to really get the most of that marker lighting goodness.

Standard modern missile tacrtics are not to keep reserves, fire all you can at once.

This translates to Tau well, with the help of a Pathfinder team fire off all the missiles at an early important target, give yourself a single firepowr boost at the beginning of the gme to maximise its dividend.

After that your tank is just a mobile marking turret to boost accuracy of your battlesuits.

Skyray works if you have the right list for it and are not put off by its light weapons loadout.

Anyway, back to the main topic:

Ionhead vs Skyray in 5th?

1. Neither.
Railheads, Broadsides and Sniper drones are too good to ignore. The other HS choices are poor relations.

2. Forced to make a choice I would go with the Skyray, as it does something different. I you want S7 shots the opponent gets a save against anyway, take missile pods.

May I ask a Question.... Do you use Farsight. If you use Farsight then the skyray is the way to go. Sense you can only have one hammerhead in your army. May I ask if you use Farsight?

If your asking me. No.

My list is pretty simple. 1750

Shas'el x1
Fireknifes x2
Stealths x6
12 Firewarriors in Warfish x1
12 Firewarriors on foot x1
8 Pathfinders in warfish x1
Pirahna with fusionblaster x2
Rail Head x1
Broadsides x2
Ion Head x1
Seeker missiles x5

At 1850 I drop two firewarriors and add a Warfish. I haven't used this list in 5th ed yet. So thats why I'm trying to see what I can do to change it up.

My usual:
Shadowsun
Ethereal
Shas'BBQs x 4 (MP, TlFlamers)
Helios x 3 (Pl, Fu, Mtt)
Firewarrior x 24
kroot x 40
pathfinder x 12
Skyray x 2
Broadside x 2