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@FocusedFire: I sent you a PM. Also suggest that you create a Dakka Article for easy reference.

OK. Some definite good ideas in here. However, I feel that the approach is a little haphazard and is resulting in the following MAJOR issues:

1. Too many new unit options. While it is good to have new options, I feel that many options do not add anything to the army function as a whole and add needless complexity as a result.
2. Little to no consideration to how the revised statlines / unit options funciton in the main framework of the game - i.e. interactions between scoring units, non-scoring units, KPs etc.
3. Too many changes are done based only on fluff reasoning without enough consideration on game balance. e.g. BS5 on battlesuits is overkill IMO.

Here my take on Tau revised. I've tried to "streamline" everything without adding unit options - while adding tactical flexibility. As it is a very preliminary look - points costs omitted:

Step 1: The Tau philosophy:

1. The Tau army maintains emphasis on shooting, mobility and cooperation between units.
2. Tau models themselves are rubbish at HTH for whatever reason. We'll say it is a phisiological issue that is not easily overcome through training.
3. The Tau cooperative makes use of Auxilliary Troops.

Step 2: Identify problems with existing codex:

1. FW are too expensive or too weak
2. Battlesuits are too expensive or fragile
3. Tau shooting in general is not effective to decisively win firefights.
4. Kroot and Vespids are saddled with a lack of focus and little synergy with the main list
5. Drones have problematic rules

Step 3: Reassign unit roles to fit with design philosophy:

HQ: Ethereal
HQ: Shas'O/Vre.

Troops: Firewarriors - Line troops, scoring unit.
Troops: Pathfinders - Support troops, scoring unit.

Auxilliary Troops: Kroot - Jungle troops, HTH
Auxilliary Troops: Vespid - Mountain troops, Harrassment
*Auxilliary Troops do not score, and do not take up slots in the force organization chart.

Elites: Crisis Suits - Heavy Fire Support
Elites: Stealth Teams - Advance Fire Support

Fast Attack: Drone Team - Harassment
Fast Attack: Phirrana Team - Fast anti-tank

Heavy Support: Hammerhead - Multirole heavy tank
Heavy Support: Skyray - Support tank
Heavy Support: Broadside Team

*Sniper Drone Team made a Troops upgrade.

Step 4: Fix on unit roles. Adjust statlines:

HQ: Ethereal - includes HW C+C node to remove idiotic LOS restriction. HW shield drone controller. ROLE: Keep crap from fleeing.
HQ: Shas'O/Vre - option for firewarrior armor - thoughts on crisis armor as part of crisis suit entry. ROLE: Firewarrior version to fill up a slot at low points. Crisis version to kick butt.

Troops: Firewarriors - BS4. Photon grenades standard. ROLE: Objective holding, close range firepower
Troops: Pathfinders - BS4. Remove requirement for devilfish. Remove scout. Add infiltrate. Add move through cover. Photon grenades standard. Teleport homer option. ROLE: Objective seizing, support firepower.
Troops*: Sniper Team - BS4. Non force org slot, non scoring, one team may be chosen for every pathfinder team included or every two firewarrior squads included. ROLE: Anti heavy infantry

Auxilliary Troops* While part of the "greater good", due to language barriers, can not trusted with holding objectives. Ld merely average (7s?), and does not benefit from Ethereal boost. - NOTE: I think these guys should be points efficient, but with some subtle drawbacks. I considered incorporating the auxilliary humans, but there seems to be little point other than adding them as a terrible "flavour" unit. I can not see them outfighting the Kroot, nor outshooting the firewarriors, so in my mind, they should not be included as they don't add anything to the list.

Auxilliary Troops: Kroot: 2 attacks base. Kroot rifle counts as 2 hand weapons. Infiltrate. Move through cover. Eaters of the dead: Must pass leadership after winning assault, otherwise the squad can only consolidate. Haven't given much thought to Krootoxen and Hounds - but to simplify, I think treating them as squad weapon upgrades is the most appropriate. ROLE: basic HTH
Auxilliary Troops: Vespid: Jump troops. Reroll difficult terrain checks. As harassers, weapon change to *poisoned, *pinning, 24" assault 2. HTH attacks are poisoned. Tough carapace: 3+ save. Territorial: LD check at start of round. If failed, unit engages closest enemy unit. ROLE: Support - Anti-high toughness models.

Elites: Crisis Team. BS4 - These guys lack resilience in their current incarnation for this type of role. T5 would fix most of their problems - possibly a rebate on their base cost if playtesting warrants it. Counting their 1 HTH attack as a S3(6) powerfist attack probably wouldn't hurt either. They should be able to take 2 guns, and always have the ability to shoot both guns. Blacksun filter and Multitracker options.
Elites: Stealth Team. BS4 - Instead of rending, I think that adding an additional shot to the burst cannon profile and pinning is more appropriate.

Fast Attack: Drones: ROLE: I can't see any reason to make these guys good, as to me, within the framework of the army, they don't seem to have any purpose other than fast moving contesting units that can be used as disposable blockers or tarpits. Mounted firewarriors are better in a fast shooting role.
Fast Attack: Pirhanna Team: BS4 - flanking seekers and fusions. 'nuff said.

Heavy Support: Hammerhead is pretty good the way it is now. Should be BS4 all the time though. ROLE: Smashing enemies of the greater good.
Heavy Support: Skyray: This guy sucks because the hammerhead does everything better than the 'ray does. This guy should be much cheaper due to reduced role and limited ammo, though as a support unit, having move and fire markerlights is not bad. Seekers should be changed such that you can fire as many seekers as you wish at a singe markerlit target. Additional markerlight hits on the same target increase your shooting BS by 1. ROLE:
Heavy Support: Broadside Team: BS4 - T5 as crisis. Optional move-and-fire. ROLE: Anti-tank, AREA DENIAL.

Transport: Devilfish: Maybe a rebate on points.

While on markerlights: I think that simplification should be in order as having too many differing effects, as well as limits on units that benefit from the effects may result in some messy book keeping - i.e. LD, and BS, and Cover:

No saves are taken vs. markerlights
Markers give +1 BS for any TAU units (not Auxilliaries) vs the lit unit.
As many seekers as wished may be fired at the lit unit that turn.
Units lit by markers take pinning checks at -x LD where x is number of marker hits on that squad until end of that shooting phase.

Step 5: Assign playtest points.
Step 6: Playtest
Step 7: Refine statlines based on playtest
Step 8: Refine points based on playtest

Reitterate 6-8 as needed.

Not trying to rag on your efforts, but going through this thread was a tough read, as you guys added a billion new options and the items are all over the place. It may not be a bad idea to consolidate all the ideas into the first post of a new thread and update the first post in that thread with any current developments as they are added.

We are obviously of two differing minds on how to accomplish change. My approach is to change as little as possible without adding special rules. Certainly, some fluff has to be sacrificed, but IMO, it will make for more streamlined gameplay.

1)Correct, but add in that it is an army that focuses on a lower model count elite troop rather than a high model count expendable troop style of army.

I am not sure that the Tau list is suited for an elites only type army as it removes "volume of fire" from their arsenal. This is important, as a "shooting only" style army, having too few units is just setting up the player for failure. Think of it as a Deathwing army with superior firepower, slightly better mobility, but pitiful HTH.

4) The Tau are about a balanced style of war as opposed to an overlyspecialized style. Spamming units should unbalance the army

I think that making units spammable should always be a valid (if narrow) choice. However, IMO, by making units fit a certain role, without others completely outclassing them in their chosen role all units are worth taking. Having fewer underperforming units should eliminate a lot of spam.

1)Disagree, Weapon strength fine, troop survivability outside of devilfish is biggest problem. Optional shield drones new rules and Guerilla Tactics rules fix this.FW will prob be 12pt each when I'm done

I am not convinced that a line trooper should be so expensive, even in the current environment. I think we are of two mindsets on how their line troops should function. In my vision, instead of being able to absorb punishment, they are designed to unleash a devestating volley of fire into their opponents either crippling them, or in the case where they are very tough - combine with pathfinder/skyray support, then pin their targets using the vehicle's burstcannon. The idea is to have resilience and firepower through strength of numbers rather than quality of attacks and individual resilience. IMO, FW should be BS4, with photon grenades and stay around 8 points.

2)Disagree again, Battlesuits survive ok(new shield drones will improve)Battlesuit Fire power crippled by wonky ranges weaker weapon strengths, and 5th ed coversave bonanza.

YMMV. IMO, the main trouble with Crisis suits is that they die very easily to S8+ weapons and powerfists once the drones have been stripped. It only takes a round of bolter fire to strip the drones.

Troops-Vespid don't fit. Can't justify in any way, shape. or form. Easier and more logical to move drones to Troops

I actually suggest that Vespid and Kroot fill "non force org slots".

Elite-Need an elite infantry unit that has transport option for infantry/mech builds
Elite-Colony Matron, Kroot Scout kindred, or new race may go here

Why do you need these new units. What purpose do they serve? Why do you need an "elite" mechanized unit? You have Crisis suits as mobile short ranged gun platforms, mounted firewarriors as mobile light shooting platforms and Hammerheads as heavy mobile gun platforms? What could an elite mechanized unit achieve that the other units already can't (other than HTH... which is completely un-Tau-like). They can't score by virtue of being elite. I think one would want to avoid marginalizing an existing unit or creating a unit that has no role. You've added a pile of new units that I am not convinced are needed.

Troops- Have to strongly disagree. BS4 FireWarriors sound good, great. Problem is when you look at army as a whole. You say that BS 5 Crisis is to much but want BS 4 Fire warriors. Where is the experience progression? When do they improve? I was going to make mine BS 4 and was forced to back off simply because it messed with the rank/ability progression track.

There are zero units outside HQ and squad upgrades that have BS5. There is lots of precedence for troops having BS4. If anything you can blame the game system for having rubbish granularity. I only raised BS as it was the easiest way of raising Firewarrior firepower without retooling the gun. This is an extension to my previous idea that firewarriors should rely on firepower en masse as opposed to a surgical strike style unit.

Aux Troops Vespid- Some interesting stuff here but you have made them more powerful than mine and I'm still worried about needing to tone mine down. Will discuss more later.

I'm not sure I see where this is overpowered. Assault 2 at 24 (AP-) vs MEQ or against a carnifex inflicts 5/18 wounds per shooter, or four shooters to inflict one wound past SV3+. Assault 1 S5 AP3 blast (assuming 3 covers) will inflict 2 MEQ casualties and inflict 1/6 of a wound on a carnifex. We are talking completely differing roles here.

The thing to keep in mind is that the more units and options you add, the harder it will be to maintain game balance. As I mentioned in my previous post, without any sort of an organized framework to review all the the rules changes you are suggesting, it is pretty much impossible for any through review to take place. An example is I don't have any recollection what your universal rules (Guerilla Tactics) do, and I do not have the time to slog through 30 pages of posts looking for them - clearly, without seeing the whole picture, I can't really assess your work as a whole.

My gut feeling is that you are adding too many units and the codex will suffer as a result. The Space Marine codex has too many units. Many are sub-par due to many sharing the same role. Same issue with the Eldar. Adding rules to bypass restrictions in the main rules is problematic. Maybe it is time for a new post with a complete summary at the start.