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Hello All,

I started playing 40K with the AoBR set. I now have about 1200 points of both Orks and SM but the two people that I play use my models and always grab my Ultramarines. I like playing Orks but fancied a change and when I was in GW on Thursday I bought the Tau battleforce as an impulse buy. I want to get the Orks and SM up to 1500-2000 points each but I don't really know where to start with increasing the Tau.

Can any Tau players recommend some initial additions to the battleforce? Thanks.

Add another Firewarrior squad and a Devlfish (buy a Skyray, not the Devilfish), then see how it goes from there. Also, get the Commander Crisis Suit so you have a proper HQ and not the pretend one the Battle Force comes with. Add stuff that seems needed as you go along I guess. Or you could try to build one of the theme list things.

Also, never glue weapons and equipment onto the Crisis Suits. As for why to buy the Skyray, it will come with the parts to make a Devilfish, Hammerhead or Skyray. You just take off and replace the turret on the top for the one you want to use. 3 in 1 tank ftw.

Throw in some kroot to infiltrate behind some enemy lines to destroy and sabotage units in close combat.

I guess play a couple of games before deciding whether to go for more Kroot or more Fire Warriors.

The battleforce is a good start. You'll have one crisis suit in there, which can just as easily be used as an HQ crisis suit in friendly games (the head being the only body difference). The alternative to a crisis commander is an Ethereal, but few people will recommend buying one to use regularly. There are a couple of special characters in the codex, but they can only be taken in armies of 1500+ games.

Things you're going to want at some point:
XV88 Broadside (S10 AP1 tl-railgun 72")
Pathfinders (cheapest markerlights)
Crisis suits (they can be equipped to counter just about anything, from squishy infantry to the heaviest vehicles)
Fire Warriors
Skyray

Kroot are optional. Some people don't use them, but those 12 models should tell your whether or not you like them enough to get more. Kroot hounds are very expensive (money-wise) but can be useful with their high initiative. There isn't much said for Krootox.

My advice:

Ignore everything you've seen so far in this thread.

To do well as Tau, you *NEED* to pick a theme, and focus on it. Gunline, mechanized, or hybrid. I don't support hybrid lists because they'll never do as well as a pure gunline or a pure mechanized list, unless the hybrid portion is purely outflanking kroot.

I'd do this: Play a few games with the Tau that you have. Proxy your orks as kroot for a game or three. Proxy space marines as elite suit teams. Try a mechanized list, try a gunline; you'll see PLENTY of Tau armylists of all flavors over in the army list section of the forums.

But before you expand, and before you buy more stuff...the answer to "How should I prepare my new Tau army?" NEEDS to be answered with "Try different things with them to find out how you like to play them." Personally, despite having 3 devilfish, 3 hammerheads and a Skyray, I'm a staunch advocate of a static gunline; pure, unadulterated, mass firepower. I kick ass with it too, and I'd challenge ANYONE to beat my gunline. The only *real* trouble comes from deep-striking catachan heavy flamer teams (which are no longer allowed with their new codex), and monoliths deep striking into your gunline. Intelligent use of cover will take care of your army against deep striking stuff.

But like I said...its up to you to decide what your playstyle is. Once you have that sorted out, come on back and let us know how you want to proceed, and then we can make some honest recommendations.

broadside are your friend

Thanks for all the replies everyone. Dashofpepper, I'm not too sure what gunline is, is it mostly Fire warriors and crisis suits?

A gunline is mostly fire warriors, kroot, and broadside battlesuits. they all stay in one place and shoot.

Once you decide what kind of army you want we can help you further, the only real advice we can give you no matter what is pick up a crisis suit commander and probably a couple more crisis suits.

Suits 'n' Kroots are what I'd recommend to start with, as well as either 2 Broadsides and/ or a Hammerhead. Take 6 of your Battleforce Fire Warriors and use them as your mandatory Troops unit, then use the rest as Pathfinders (give them the Devilfish). You'll need to cut the Pulse Rifles down and do a bit of rejigging, but they're a lot better as PFs than they are as Fire Warriors.

I'm not sure what stuff you get on the sprues in the Battleforce, but if your Stealth Suits get Fusion Blasters use those instead of the Burst Cannons (which are the four-barrelled machine gun-looking things they have on the box). If you get 6 Fusion Blasters give one to each; you now have 2 Stealth Suit squads. They suck and you'll never use them, but you has them anyway.

I'd recommend reading more of Dashofpepper's posts on the subject. I've moved away from playing mech tau to a gunline style and am having alot more success.

I'd also recommend staying away from kroot if you are going to play a gunline. Some people think you need them to stop possible fast assaulting units but I like to pack as many str. 5 pulse rifles into my line as possible to mow down assaulters before they get to me.

I'm also now sold on using Fusion/plasma on my crisis suits. They can absolutely deal with MEQs and terminators, as well as armor. I don't feel the need for extra anti infantry dakka since I've replaced my devilfish transports with more firewarriors.

Also the Broadside is the best choice in the codex. I like to run 3 squads of 2 with advanced stabilization, and a team leader with target lock.

Two words "Shield Drones"

DOn't play Gunline Tau. That'll get real old real fast.

Lord Froth:

A *lot* of bad advice is being dispensed to you in this thread. Read around the forums in various areas; there's a lot of information for you to gather. I tried to stay away from specific advice, but let me qualify my gunline recommendations for you:

The gunline Tau that I play....that I mentioned in my previous thread...combined with intelligent deployment are literally undefeatable. Tau are a SICKENING army if you play them well. Pick a SINGLE theme, and run full out with it. You'll see a lot of threads, and even more posts around the forums written by Tau players who can't even get their Shas'o to tie his own shoes...sift very carefully through what you read. I've played mechanized, hybrid, and gunline Tau, and I would happily challenge anyone on the planet earth to beat my gunline with a tournament list, and I'd put money on it. In fact, I regularly do put money on it; every time I enter a tournament I put $10 or so on it. I haven't lost since game three of the preliminaries at 'Ard Boyz 2008, and it was to another Tau player; I brain-farted and advanced on his line to get into rapid fire range, while forgetting that he was Tau too. =p

Here's a few threads worth reading to think about what to do with your Tau:

Pretty Good army list

Explanation of how to assemble a good Tau list

How Good are Tau Right now?

You can search around and find more good stuff...but do much reading, and some proxy play-testing before you commit to anything. Everyone has a different opinion.

Some people think that Kroot are awesome and belong in every Tau list.

I believe that Kroot are sub-par meatshields, and if you wanted an assault element with a primarily shooting army, you should have picked Dark Eldar, or Eldar, or something besides Tau. Every point you put into kroot are less points in long-distance ownage that you no longer have. It comes down to personal preference. I'm a purist: I believe if you're going to do something, do it right. If you want to make a shooting army, make a shooting army. Tau can make a shooting army that is better than anyone else's shooting army. Adding Kroot and trying to make a "hybrid" army....you might as well put your Tau down and pick up something that can actually be effective as a hybrid army.