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Brilliant use of a watch case packaging- I've had one lingering about for months (if not years)- terrific solar power facility!

Very cool and original scratch build on the Tau terrain! And the Sky Talon is looking quite good. I need to get one (or two) of those while they are still around.

-Rids

Nice Sky Talon kestrel. You do not see many of those.

I echo Meer_Cat in that you have found a use for watch case packaging.

Cheers,

CB

Hmmmmm. Test fit works for me!



TFW you remember you have an entire bag of AdMech bitz.

--

The briefings have been sent to the two commanders.

Yes! I love the big crane. I’ve been fiddling around with a similar idea forever. Nice idea to throw the spider claw on there.

-Rids

Invasion minus (2 years?) - the Tau Torpedo Ram Thunderchild embarks Shas'o R;myr for Planet Umia on a Mission of Mercy.

Time to spruce up my R'myr figure....

I've ordered the fleet I'm going to convert for the Tau.

Dang, I need to catch up. Been a busy few weeks of real life.

Painted the Breaching team! I made them look like Vhane's ship's Armsmen. Great figures. Some of the red and yellow is the new Contrast stuff.

Those look good!

Thanks! I enjoyed painting them.

At this juncture I need points for my Auxiliaries so I can make my list for the Uma Battle. So here's what I'm thinking:

The Kiff: (These Guys)



WS 3, BS 3, S 3, T 3, A2 W1 I 4, ld 9, Save 6+

Stealth, Stubborn, Fleet.
A Kif's shooting and close combat attacks always wound on a roll of 6, even if their strength would not normally be high enough to do so.
A Kif squad is immediately removed from the table (counts as destroyed) if:
They are outnumbered 3 to 1 by enemy models within 12"
They are below half strength and an enemy unit is within 12".

Kiff Indentured Squad 5-15 models, 8 points per model. Armed with lasguns or Autoguns, frag grenades.. One Kiff may replace its rifle with a missile Launcher for +15 Points.
While Kiff are super, they are still S3, T3, Lasgun, 6+ save dudes - plus they run away. Note that Kiff are modeled with various pistols, close combat weapons, LMGs, sniper rifles, etc, but the effects of these weapons is included in the profile above. Compared to Kroot, they lack S4, WS 4, and S4 shooting. They effectively have the same number of attacks, better Ld (while it lasts), and two more special rules.

Kiff are a troops choice for the Tau on Taros.


Then we have X'xlal and Chuma,



X'zial: WS 4, BS 3, S 4, T 4, A3 W3 I 5, ld 8, Save 5+(Invulnerable).
Chuma: WS 3, BS 4, S 3, T 4, A2 W1 I 2, ld 8, Save 5+

They are always fielded together as a Duo.

X'zail is equipped with a flamer and a Dark Eldar shadow field that conveys a 2+ invulnerable save on both it and Chuma, however after a save is failed the field shorts out and does not function for the remainder of the game.

Chuma is equipped with a melta gun and melta bombs.

Special Rules: Deepstrike, Outflank, hit and run. Both models count as equipped with Jump Packs (12" move, 6" assault).

Not team players. X'xail and Chuma fight when and where they wish, and care nothing for Tau priorities. They may never capture objectives or score any victory points except by destroying/damaging enemy units. They always start the game in reserve.

Psycho Killers. The Duo is horrible beyond belief in close combat. If they win close combat, all enemy units automatically fall back, unless they are fearless or vehicles. However, the Duo may not pursue as they are too busy mutilating the dead.

Really not sure how to price these psychos. If we think of them as Jump Marines with a shadow field, flamer, Melta gun, and melta bombs that is something like 110 points. Say 150 to be sure.


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They are a fast attack choice.

For the Duo, I would replace the 'Psycho Killers' rule with "Fearless" and "Relentless". Price them at 120 points.

As for the Kiff, all those special rules (which are typically +3 points/model in this edition) PLUS better leadership, init, attacks; their base cost would be somewhere around 30+ points a model before any negative modifiers. I don't think the negative rules make up for a 20+ drop in points.

YMMV.

 Briancj wrote:
For the Duo, I would replace the 'Psycho Killers' rule with "Fearless" and "Relentless". Price them at 120 points.

As for the Kiff, all those special rules (which are typically +3 points/model in this edition) PLUS better leadership, init, attacks; their base cost would be somewhere around 30+ points a model before any negative modifiers. I don't think the negative rules make up for a 20+ drop in points.

YMMV.

Lol. Nope, the opponent gets to make the call - if you say 30 points, 30 points it is. : ) That said, it is probably better if I run them as IG veterans who are roughly similar.

I like the idea of having a wider variety of Xenos and those white-snouted Kiff look like they will fit in nicely.

That is an interesting set of rules that makes them fairly unique and they should be fun to play. My only question is why they simultaneously have Stubborn and a rule that makes them seem somewhat cowardly or like they would escape when in great danger. So if they just got wrecked in melee, wouldn't they want to run away, not stand and fight on despite the losses? Plus, they have Hit and Run, giving them a more appropriate way to respond to a close combat they are losing than standing and fighting to the death. And it currently feels like maybe too many USRs to keep track of in the game. I would maybe stick to the ones that all seem to fit (my perception of) the theme better. Just my observation without knowing anything else about these guys.

Cool idea and I bet they will add some fun to any game they are in. Looking forward to seeing them in action.

-Rids

Fluff wise, the idea is that Kiff fight like demons right up to the point where they calculate that they are more likely to live if they run away (despite the terrible retribution their Hakkitt will exact from them) then if they stay. At that point each one simply bolts in a random direction and the squad vanishes.

I think I can find something suitable from codex Dark Eldar or Catachan that will work well. Fluff is neat, but it is more important to have clear cut rules. Might also use the Penal Squad rules, since the tau view them as cannon fodder. Tank hunting lasguns are kind of fun, but also pretty silly.

kestrel,

You have such a great imagination as you build this Second Taros campaign.

Cheers,

CB

...ah, but I am not the opponent in this battle...

--B.

or am I?

Why thanks!

Hmmm, now I've got a bit of a puzzler. I hadn't originally planned on fielding the Ghostkeel, despite loving all things stealth, since I didn't have one, but then I-Walker upped and gave me one! It also fits really well with the next battle (Diplomatic mission? Of course I want a giant invisible death machine lurking out there if things go wrong).

But it needs rules for 5th edition. I originally thought I could just use the 7th ed rules, but they are a mess with multiple interacting USRs that wind up giving it a 2+ cover save all the time in typical 7th edition fashion.

So how about this:

Ghostkeel

A Ghostkeel is a monstrous creature with all the rules thereoff. It is accompanied by 2 stealth drones which must remain with 12" of the Ghostkeel, but are otherwise treated as a separate unit.

WS 3 BS 3 S6 T5 I2 A3 W4 LD 8 3+ Save.

Weapons:
Primary Weapon:
Rotary Ion Cannon S7, Assault 4, AP 3, 24" range.
Fusion Collider Assault 1 or Heavy 3, S 8, small Blast, AP 1, 18" range, melta. Costs + 15 points.

Secondary Weapon: Twin linked Flamers. Upgrade to TL Burst Cannons for + 5 points or TL Fusion Blasters for +10 points.

Drones have the normal drone profile except that they have a 3+ armor save and T4.

Special Rules
Ghostkeel: Hit and Run, Monstrous Creature, Jet Pack.

Stealth Field Generator A ghostkeel must be spotted like a Stealth team, all other rules apply.

Booster Jet Pack - when a Ghostkeel makes a jet pack move it rolls 2D6 for the distance travelled.

Holophoton Jammers. The Ghostkeel can gain a 2+ cover save against the shooting from a single enemy unit during the game (One use).

Drones:
Stealth, Hit and Run, Jet Pack

Stealth Field Generator.

Shrouding Field. If any model of a unit's line of fire passes within 3" of a stealth drone, the target gains a 5+ cover save. If the target has a Stealth Field Generator, the cover save is 4+. Stealth Drones thus have a 3+ cover save at all times.

Points? IDK. 135 is what it cost in 7E. This version has less firepower and less awesome cover saves, but is more practical in that the drones are in a separate unit, and has the stealth suit protection which is situationally awesome. Maybe 150.

I'm super jazzed for this model on a couple levels - for one thing, the stealth drones will make perfect tau exploration ships in BFG as well as being useful in 40K! The Fusion Collider looks like it would also make a great ship.

When I get home from work today, let me put some better thoughts into these.

--Brian

Absolutely. I've got my list mostly done, but can fiddle around a bit with whatever points come up.

In the meantime, the Euclidian Starstriders need a sweet ride. Fortunately, I'm fairly sure that Insurgency Walker is the king of sweet 28mm rides, and he had this for them:









I'm thinking of doing the Corvus Blackstar in the same style. It looks like the Tau will be defending Dawnwaters Edge agains the science fiction of the 60s. I think I'll include my Valkyrie in that scenario also, since that is the only role that would vaguely make sense for them on Taros.


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Note to self: The glass is done with Elysian Green and Reaper Dungeon slime.


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And some Corellian Greenshade.

HAWT. That looks VERY RT-era, to me!

That's sweet little ship, looks cool! Is it made from an Easter egg and bitz?

It's from a Bombshell miniatures counterblast kickstarter. Sad that it didn't go into full production.


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Found yet another chimera conversion kit from Blood and Skulls.

The Mighty Ghostkeel - gave it a bit more dynamic pose, magnetic main weapon, and a very basic paint job I'll improve on someday.

kestral,

I agree with Briancj's sentiments, that little flyer looks very much like something out of the pages of Rogue Trader.

Cheers,

CB

Rocket ship looks good and very retro, Ghostkeel suit looks great too!

 Kroem wrote:
Nice work on the aliens, I like the variety you are getting into the forces.

I feel like I've seen that type of alien somewhere before but can't put my finger on it... how annoying lol.

I finally remembered, they are Ithorians or 'Hammerheads' from the Star Wars universe I think.

I wouldn't worry about the menagerie of auxiliaries, if Taros is supposed to be an entrepot for Tau space it makes sense that there are a lot of aliens around who would need to fight for their lives once the Imperium turned up!

Thanks folks!

I've always liked looking at the "general citizens of the galaxy" beyond the great powers, so the aliens do fit that mold.

The original Arbites of Taros were wiped out in the first Tau invasion. Little did the squads accompanying Inquisitor Westwood a world away on Umia know that they would have a chance to avenge their fallen comrades on none other than the original archytect of the Tau victory on Taros... Shas'o R'ymr!.

Speed painted Rhinos....






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Inquisitor Westwind had requisitioned 2 squads of steel legion, but only a missile team showed up, the rest pleading "Uniform Malfunction", so he was forced to draw upon the ON(SF)'s Imperial Marines.





And with that, it is time to pack the figures and off to Umia!

I modified the Kiff to make them less elite and more cannon fodder, and simplified the Ghostkeel slightly. (Edited the posts above for simplicity). I'll review the rules with I-Walker on the way down.

The variety of models and forces in this campaign is impressive. I agree with you that there is so much more to the galaxy that could be explored beyond the core armies and models. Your imagination is the only limit. I love the idea of introducing some new xenos species and strange human cultures.

-Rids

Don't look!



--B