Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Ok, I am considering beginning a Tau army, this is what I am thinking:
Shas'O, AFP, missile pods, multi-tracker, stimulant injectors.
2 Crisis Suits, multi-trackers, TL fusion blasters, TL missile pods.
2 Crisis Suits, multi-trackers, TL fusion blasters, TL missile pods.
10 Fire Warriors, Shas'ui with a bonding knife.
1 Devilfish, disruption pods.
10 Fire Warriors, Shas'ui with a bonding knife.
1 Devilfish, disruption pods.
1 Hammerhead, Railgun, disruption pods, multi-tracker, gun drones.
1 Hammerhead, Railgun, disruption pods, multi-tracker, gun drones.
Approx 1000pts.

The general strategy would be to blow the enemy off the table, but in objective based missions I will detatch hordes of gun drones on the last turn to contest objectives, securing victory for the greater good. Any criticisms?

That force is only good against certain armies, which is its strength and weakness. It would anhiliates light armoured armies, like guardsmen,orks,footslogging eldar and dark eldar, but would struggle against more balnced armies that can shoot your more powerful hammerheads and assault your poor fire warriors.
GIVE YOUR SHA'SO A SHIELD GENERATOR PERFIDUOUS FOOL
2 hammerheads... russes beware

Warboss Gutrip wrote:Ok, I am considering beginning a Tau army, this is what I am thinking:
Shas'O, AFP, missile pods, multi-tracker, stimulant injectors. (- not a wonderfull loadout - see below)
2 Crisis Suits, multi-trackers, TL fusion blasters, TL missile pods.
2 Crisis Suits, multi-trackers, TL fusion blasters, TL missile pods.
This is illegal - TL weapons take up 2 slots.
Also, Fusion and Missiles have very little sinergy. Have one unit as TL Fusion and the other as TL Missile, both with the +1BS upgrade

10 Fire Warriors, Shas'ui with a bonding knife.
1 Devilfish, disruption pods.
10 Fire Warriors, Shas'ui with a bonding knife.
1 Devilfish, disruption pods.
1 Hammerhead, Railgun, disruption pods, multi-tracker, gun drones.
1 Hammerhead, Railgun, disruption pods, multi-tracker, gun drones.
Approx 1000pts.

The general strategy would be to blow the enemy off the table, but in objective based missions I will detatch hordes of gun drones on the last turn to contest objectives, securing victory for the greater good. Any criticisms?

With commanders, try:
Shas'el - AFP, TL Burst Cannon, HW Multi-Tracker, Stims - 97 (25p cheater, and much more effective vs light infantry, which appears to be the primary target.

For a total list:
Shas'el - AFP, TL Burst Cannon, HW Multi-Tracker, Stims - 97
Crisis (2) - Targeting Array, TL Fusion - 96
Crisis (2) - Targeting Array, TL Missile - 96
Fire Warriors (10) - Shas'ui with a bonding knife - 195
Devilfish - disruption pods.
Fire Warriors (9) - Shas'ui with a bonding knife - 185
Devilfish - disruption pods.
Hammerhead - Railgun, disruption pods, multi-tracker, Burst Cannon - 165
Hammerhead - Railgun, disruption pods, multi-tracker, Burst Cannon - 165
TOTAL:999

Warboss Gutrip wrote:Ok, I am considering beginning a Tau army, this is what I am thinking:
Shas'O, AFP, missile pods, multi-tracker, stimulant injectors.
Give the commander 2 Shield Drones otherwise he will be killed by one Lascannon/Krak shoot.
2 Crisis Suits, multi-trackers, TL fusion blasters, TL missile pods.
2 Crisis Suits, multi-trackers, TL fusion blasters, TL missile pods.
Give them Shield Drones and equip with TL Flamers/MP for Horde or MP/PR for Marines/Terminators.
10 Fire Warriors, Shas'ui with a bonding knife.
1 Devilfish, disruption pods.
10 Fire Warriors, Shas'ui with a bonding knife.
1 Devilfish, disruption pods.
Looks good.
1 Hammerhead, Railgun, disruption pods, multi-tracker, gun drones.
1 Hammerhead, Railgun, disruption pods, multi-tracker, gun drones.
Looks good.
Approx 1000pts.

The general strategy would be to blow the enemy off the table, but in objective based missions I will detatch hordes of gun drones on the last turn to contest objectives, securing victory for the greater good. Any criticisms?

I would leave the Hammerheads to destroy vehicles and have the XV8/Commander to deal with infantry. Think about gun or shield drones as XV8 are fragile and can be taken down easily by str8 weapons.

Your Crisis teams are illegal, you have 5 battlesuit systems, TL weapons count as two. Other than that there are only a few problems.

Your 2 Crisis teams will die very easily, I would put shield drones in each squad, and, the biggest mistake of the suit squad is that they are identical models, upgrade one to a team leader and give him a HW drone controller for the drones. That way if you allocate one wound to each and fail the save, one of them wont die.

If you know you are going to fight infantry heavy armies, I would take suits with flamers and burst cannons, or drop the crisis suits for a stealthsuit team with as many drones as you can afford, 6 suits with 12 gun drones may be a bit much for 1k points, but you could manage 4 and 8 drones, theyre great anti infantry
Another problem with your crisis teams is that you paired up a long range and very short range gun, which will work but it makes them a bit harder to use. If you are going to be in 12" to use the FB, i would take a plasma rifle, its stronger than the missle pod with its 2AP, and with a melta weapon you wont need the 7 STR missiles.

for 1k points, I would run 1 team of 3 to shorten up kill points, and give a team leader a MP/PR/TA with a HWDC and HWMT, and then have 2 normal suits, one with PR/MP/MT, and the other MP/FB/TL, depending on which you plan on using more. that way all three are unique, two of them have a lot of firepower, and one of them will have a long range anti most things gun, and when needed a melta gun that you fire at a separate target than the rest of the squad to blast that leman russ while the rest of the squad shoots big infantry.

I would downgrade the gun drones to burst cannons on the hammerheads, that will save you 20 points and give you 2 less kill points

Thanks all for the detailed responses. The tactics I intend to use revolve around flying around the enemy, as far away as possible, and shooting them with the hammerheads whilst staying out of range of the majority of their guns to minimize casualties. On turn 5 I swoop in and contest objectives with gun drones. On turn 6 the rest of the army arrives and contests/controls, giving victory to the greater good. Do you think that this will work?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
BTW, black antelopes list looks like the go.

Warboss Gutrip wrote:Thanks all for the detailed responses. The tactics I intend to use revolve around flying around the enemy, as far away as possible, and shooting them with the hammerheads whilst staying out of range of the majority of their guns to minimize casualties. On turn 5 I swoop in and contest objectives with gun drones. On turn 6 the rest of the army arrives and contests/controls, giving victory to the greater good. Do you think that this will work?

In all truth, probably not (or only on very limited circumstances). In practice, it is difficult to keep the enemy from assaulting esp. if he has bikes or something equivalent fast attack. Terrain and 4+ cover saves really screw up long range shooting. I tend to use Hammerheads somewhat aggressively, get within Burst Cannon range and dakka dakka. Most Crisis suit configurations are also optimal at relatively short ranges (12-18" inches).

CONCENTRATE YOUR FIRE. A common trap for Tau (and shooty armies in general) is to shoot bit of that with this, and that with something other...that is the road to fail.