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I know a lot of us Tau players are dealing with a lot of the pain of 5e in different ways. It wasn't all a bad change, but what have you guys found that is working to help you win games, or in my case, keep the losses close or at least not embarassing. Please skip disruption pods, we all know they're mandatory now.

For me, I've found that:

1. I'm starting to like XV88's over hammerheads. I still mix, but I used to go exclusively with the HHs. The reliability of the broadside TL reroll is clutch. I'm toying with the 9 broadside list at 1850-2000.

2. Pathfinders are really good for a lot of builds. +BS has always been great, and most of us are finding that melting cover saves can knock a crutch out from under an enemy, but I'm also theorizing that the oft neglected seeker missile might eventually make a comeback. S8 with the ability to ignore cover, hit on a 2+, and (this part is key IMO) frontload the damage might make this an interesting weapon choice for markerlight users.

3. 2 man deepstriking TL Flamer/Fusion gun suicide squads are a really points effective way to mess with any army, especially if you have a pathfinder devilfish to allow a reroll. At a cool 86 points, this squad can kill just about anything it drops near, has a decent mesure of accuracy when dropping, and is very versatile. This is one of the units that I find almost always makes its points back if it lands anywhere close to the drop point.


I'm curious what you guys are finding! Please share. I hate losing!

Rmeju

What has worked for me:

Tons of Broadsides- In general most things that can kill broadsides easily get killed by 9 rail guns in the first turn.

Shadowsun- Broadsides don't run, Oh and about that thing that just deep struck.... Two fusion guns!

Outflanking kroot- 2 or 3 units of 10 Kroot and 10 hounds comming off the table edge can kill lots of things.

Everything in a devilfish (Hard to Kill)

What hasn't worked:

Pathfinders- They get lit up first turn and die.

Stealth suits- Only really useful against squish targets

Farsight- Tooo many points

Lots of suits- Too easy to kill

Disruptions pods. They are the star of the Tau codex in 5th edition. Drones on suits are much more useful than before due to the new saving rules.

Mech Tau > Gunline...

I'm still getting my army up to a decent points level, but one of my opponents plays horde orks, and I've found the only way to reliably kill lots of orks is Firewarriors. If you're close enough to use a flamer, you lose the suits the flamer's on.

I've actually been pretty happy with my Firewarriors (adding Kroot now too). Have people been using these?

I agree with most of the stuff already posted and let me add that Kroot can be surprisingly tough and mobile if you play in terrain heavy games (forests/jungles) Editing: Kroot are often better off rapid firing as their lower initiative makes them lose too many in assault, their weapon is very shooty as well.

I've found Gun Drones to be more effective than expected if you are willing to spend markerlight hits to bump the BS a point and lower Ld. for pinning on the target, especially for units like Lootas which otherwise give my Suits fits.

If you do go with the Dual flamer suits a Shas'ui with the Failsafe detonator is a nice add-in. Opponents that understand it don't like to close and those that don't get a nasty surprise.

What's been effective against Nob bikerz?

orchewer said

What's been effective against Nob bikerz?

lol Good one orchewer...

The only way I can think of doing it (assuming your opponent is running the standard 2x squads) is to tarpit one with a 3-suit squad, all kitted out differently and with a load of shield drones and hammer the other squad with every gun you have and hope it dies.

Beyond that, tau are toast...

I really dig Smart Missile systems now! I try to arm them to all my devilfishs so they all continue to pose a threat!!!

Chimera_Calvin wrote:

orchewer said

What's been effective against Nob bikerz?

lol Good one orchewer...

The only way I can think of doing it (assuming your opponent is running the standard 2x squads) is to tarpit one with a 3-suit squad, all kitted out differently and with a load of shield drones and hammer the other squad with every gun you have and hope it dies.

Beyond that, tau are toast...

Farsight Crisis spam with markerlight support. Rob them of their cover saves and then instant death with deep struck fusion guns.

Well, a unit of pathfinders can reduce their crucial 3+ cover save, provided they are turbo-boosting. If you can inflict just one casualty you can really go to town on them with pinning tests (again pathfinders) from sniper drones or other rail rifle equivalents.

With that I would put in 2 max squads of XV88s and all the battlesuits you can bring (plasma and missile pods should do the trick. Keep troops in reserve so they dont get smashed up, and keep everything far back. Probably good against marines too, though other army lists (especially horde) would smash you up good.

To force a pinning check all you need to do is cause an unsaved wound, you don't actually have to kill a model now IIRC.

Nob Bikes are extremely tough due to FNP, een when the cover save is gone. 9 Railguns can probably knoc a few of them down, at which point you can try for pinning. This really just slows down 1 unit though, and the other will simply run riot. Farsight + massive unique equipment bodyguard and tons of drones seems like the best bet (especially if you use some markerlights to knock down their cover save so you can melta them with your farsight unit before you charge).

broadsides are amazing field em