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So I need to equip a whole ton of crisis suits, and 9/10 games I play are vs. MEQ. I'm guessing plasma rifles are a given, but what support systems and secondary weapons do the best in your (collective) experience(s)?

I like Helios suits: plasma/fusion/multi-tracker with markerlight support - both MEQ and TEQ go down hard.

im not familer with Tau weaponry, anything with AP 3 or lower will work great against TAC squards, just watch out for dem Terminators.

I should mention, I've got heaps of broadsides too, if that would affect the need for certain things.

- Dashofpepper: Thanks for the reply. Helios sounds like what I had in mind, but asking experienced players can't hurt!

Obligatory Article Plug

It's long, but it should help you out a bit.

If I have the points to spare

3x Helios (Plasma/Fusion/Multi-Tracker)
3x Fireknife (Plasma/Missile Pod/Multi-tracker)
3x Deathrain (TL Missile Pods/Targetting Array)

It gives me some nice long-range rhino-popping ability, with a back-up, along with close range MEQ/TEQ killers, with a backup. The one thing this needs is ML support for the first two suit groups. Two groups of 5 pathfinders (give their Devilfish to two squads of 6 firewarriors to score with) and you have the core of a very effective force.

I run one Fire Knife, one Helios, Deathrain, every game with 2 shield drones on Helios and Fire knife. Very good system.

I run mine like this:

3 x TL Plasma Rifle + Shield Gen
3 x TL Fusion Blaster + Shield Gen
3 x TL Missile Pod + Shield Gen

Crack transports open with the MPs and then finish off with the Plasma guys. I deep strike Fusion Blaster guys for some tank hunting.

I tend to twin link every all Tau weapons, BS3 is awful and when you need to get a 4, you probably wont.

My favorite is the Sun Fire on Team Leaders & Commanders:

Shash'el or Team Leader w/
Hard Wired Multi Tracker
Missile Pod
Plasma Gun
Fusion Blaster

In the opening turns of the game, the missile pods pop transports (and you might even get lucky with a plasma shot against ARM 10 & 11). In the middle of the game, the Plasma and Fusion come into play either against things like terminators or heavy armor your broadsides/ hammerhead couldn't get to. At the end of the game, you're likely back to using the Missile pod & Plasma for the range.

Favorite Squad is 3x Crisis Suits:
1x Sun Fire Team Leader as above
1x Fire Knife (Missile Pod & Plasma)
1x Helios (Plasma & Fusion)

Wound allocation lets you spread the wounds out a fair amount. Mix in some marker lights and you'll rip things up. If you're really feeling the Suite Love, take 3 of the above units for 624 points.

It provides:
6 Missile Pod shots
9 Plasma Shots a long range or 18 at rapid fire range
3 Fusion Shots
and
Your choice of either 6 more missile pod shots or 3 more fusion shots.

In comparison to the poster above me (no offense Walkinglimb) he is spending 225 points for the Plasma Squad and 189 points each for the Fusion Squad, and missile pod squad. Its 603 points for:
3 / 6x plasma shots
6 Missile pod shots
3x Fusion shots

The twin linking won't benefit all that much when you're shooting at something with a marker light. The 4+ inv saves are good, but its a lot of points and you can get almost as much out of wound allocation.

I quite like the idea of mixed units for maximum output actually. I was going to ask everyone about twin linking, but that's been covered since I last posted. The new question is, to drone or not to drone?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I've read the article and given it some thought, and I'm going with 3 dethrain suits, 6 helios and a helios commander. My regular opponents both use marine infantry spam with multiple small units and few/no transports. They often take vindis and dreads, so railguns take care of those, the helios are to wipe out terminators and combat squads quickly.

People will tell you not to, but i have used Firestorm squads (BC with MP and MultiTracker) with success. They are cheap (150pts for 3)and can through out 9 St5 and 6 St7 shots a turn! Quantity vs. Quality and all that.

But i use three different squad payloads, Deathrains, Helios, and Firestorms....