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I've got hold of a lot of Tau through a trade but there are no Kroot or Vespids. Is it possible to do a good all round, Tau only, army for 1500 points?
Any help would be useful as its going to be my 10 year old son's first army...
Cheers, Mick

Keep the firewarriors mobile in devilfish, take 3x hammerheads. Take disruption pods on all tanks, now you have 4+ cover at over 12 inches.

It's possible but it takes an advanced play style. You can build an all around list but the list must be balanced. Tau is very good for catering to certain lists if you know what you will be facing beforehand. I prefer a list like this:

2 squads of 2 broadsides
1 hammerhead with Railgun or IonCannon
2-3 squads of 2 crisis suits
2 squads of pathfinders with devilfish each
2 squads of firewarriors
Commander with armor and stim injectors
Small stealth squad

Depending on your opponent you add and remove different weapon systems. I'm still adjusting the list but overall make sure you have 3-4 railguns, some plasma rifles, devilfish for all your troops (unless your taking kroot). Kroot should be taken in the largest squad possible (20 kroot & 10-12 hounds).

Concentration of fire power and mobility to stay out of assault is what you need. Missile pods take down most mechanized transports (except land Raiders). For large targets railguns are key.

I'm currently working on a new build that breaks with the mandatory Railgun thought process.

HQ-Shes'El (Still playing with load out)*

Elite 1-2Shas'ui crisis w/ fusion/flamer 92 PTs

Elite2--2Shas'ui crisis w/ fusion/flamer 92 PTs

Troops- FW(Still playing with)*

Troops- FW(Still playing with)*

Troops-14Kroot & 8Hounds(146pts)

FA- 5 PF/warfish...(180pts)*

FA- 5 PF/warfish...(180pts)*

FA-5 Piranha w/fusion,ta,dp,& 3 with tl...(390pts)

Heavy- Ionhead w/bc,mt,tl,dp...(135pts)

Heavy-Ionhead w/bc,mt,tl,dp....(135 pts)

Heavy-IonHead w/bc,mt,tl,dp....(135 pts)


This list not set but you should get the idea. Any unit with an * means that they are still being adjusted.

@FocusFire:

The only problem I see with that list is dealing with Landraiders/Most Vehicles. You have to get insanely close in order to get the extra gain from the Melta to give you that boost or any shot at all. 12" is too close for my comfort. I prefer the stand off and fire while moving around to stay out of range strategy. If you play aggressively and partially suicidal the list would do wonders I would think.

Cheers everyone. Right now considering the 2x 2 Broadsides, 2x FW with transport, 2x Pathfinders with transport, 1x (possibly 2x) hammerhead with railgun and then what Crisis suits I can get with the remaining points (inc commander and long range weaponry).
Mick

@rogueeyes-

Looking to deep strike to take out heavy tanks. The 9 BS 4 S7 AP3 range 60" shots a turn should do quite the number on transports and light vehicles.
If my opponent is running LRs in spam form then he has limited his army and fire power to the point that the fusion suits and piranhas should take care of them.

Who knows, I might trim one piranha to give me larger FW squads with one equipped emp grenades. I have had some success keeping at least one squad of these hidden in my lines. It became worth every point ever spent when that small group of FWs took out the monolith.

@Mick- Sounds good but remember to equip those broadsides with A.S.S. and your going to want some kroot with hounds or more FW to help shield those broadsides.