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So I recently picked up my Tau again and while I still believe they are fundamentally flawed in a tournament format the massive amount of vehicles in the meta they are getting better and the reduction of fast moving assualters has dramatically helped them. That said they are still not fixed. I read the other post on the forums about hit and run and defensive grenades. I am not sure I agree with the hit and run as I think the idea of the rule is that the opponent is so fast that the opponent can't keep them locked in combat not that the unit doesn;t want to stay in combat. The defensive grenade idea is nice but I think it is virtually useless and would not improve balance. I would propose the following changes. As the previous poster suggested I would look to help the Tau using a fluffy idea as well as not creating an overpowered version. I think this would still leave them as one of the least powerful tournament armies but it may give them a chance:

1. "It's a Toaster" Rule: Drones are considered part of a unit but any dead drones do not count as casualties for hand to hand, do not cause panic checks if they are the only models killed, and if a unit with drones is assualted if they pass the moral check they and still have drones remaining they can abandon all drones in the unit and break from combat and automatically regroup at the end of the movement. Fluff wise these are friggin flying toasters: their purpose is to take shots for real firewarriors.
2. Kroot Hoard - Fearless if over 11 models. Tribal creatures are always brave in big number right?


I think this is all fluffy and goes a long way to fixing the problems in a uniqu and interesting way. I also think this avoids the huge point problems that need. All of these add toughness to the army without breaking it in my oppinion.

Comments?

3.) No way in hell. It essentially gives them an 18" movement phase & makes it impossible for anything without jumpacks/beasts AND fleet to catch them. It'd just make them too unbalanced.

I will say that the extra movement is on the edge but I am not sure how else to fix the suits without making them cheaper, tougher (better armor save), or better able to deal damage and while the drone change alone will help but I still think they would need more help. It would be nice but not unkillable. Shooting would still get there and for an army with very little counter assualt (even with the changes to Kroot) it would really help. I would also disagree with you that it would overpower the unit but such a strong reaction probably means it would be too powerful for a discussion such as this so I will remove it from the discussion. Edit coming....

No I have no problem discussing it. I'll break it down in terms of movement.

Tau have 18" move, as long as you are more than 6" away from your enemy, they will never catch you.

Assume all enemies have fleet (LONG shot)
Jump Infantry, move 12", run (require a 6), that's 18" & they have a 6" assault, so as long as you started >6" away, you don't get caught.

beasts, move 6", run (require a 6) that's 12" assault 12" more. So as long as you stayed 6.1" away at the start, they cannot get in b2b & you are not caught.

Cavalry move 12", run (require a 6) that's 12. They assault 12" that's 24" so unless you were <=6 inches away at the start of your turn (which case your fault) you cannot be caught.

Bikes are the only thing that could do it, even so I dont ever see many bikes.

Thus without devoting 2 units to a pincer move the battlesuits can never be assaulted. I know that eventually you'll be caught (board edge) but if you play your cards right it'll be 2-3 turns in which you SHOULD be dumping plasma rifles & missile pods into said squad. which to me makes that OP.

Tau jetpacks move 6" iirc?
And if they run, they can't shoot.

So no, Tau do not have an effective movement of 18". They have a "AAAHHHH GET AWAY GET AWAY!" move of 18". They won't be retaliating any shots oif they're running away.


I think having the drones able to disengage and block enemy charges would be helpful, but not going to solve many problems because the enemy is going to get their consolidation.

1. "It's a Toaster" Rule: Drones are considered part of a unit but any dead drones do not count as casualties for hand to hand, do not cause panic checks if they are the only models killed

Yes.

if a unit with drones is assualted if they pass the moral check they and still have drones remaining they can abandon all drones in the unit and break from combat and automatically regroup at the end of the movement.

No

Their purpose may be taking the beating instead of Tau forces but there is no way in hell that 1 shield drone is going to stop a whole charge of a marine assault squad. This just doesn't seem right. Drones don't have anything that would tie incoming forces. Some special drones maybe; but I don't like this idea.

In_Theory wrote:Tau jetpacks move 6" iirc?
And if they run, they can't shoot.

So no, Tau do not have an effective movement of 18". They have a "AAAHHHH GET AWAY GET AWAY!" move of 18". They won't be retaliating any shots oif they're running away.


I think having the drones able to disengage and block enemy charges would be helpful, but not going to solve many problems because the enemy is going to get their consolidation.

My post was in response to the OP suggesting we let tau suits have a 12" normal move AND the 6" assault phase special move. Which, if implemented, would give them an 18" move.

BrPrometheus wrote:
2. Kroot Hoard - Fearless if over 11 models. Tribal creatures are always brave in big number right?

Well, that's not entirely necessary. Orks have Mob Rule, that shouldn't be stolen by any other army. However, the problem does come up quite a lot in games I play, and it does need to be fixed.
I would suggest:

Drones and Kroot Hounds NEVER count toward the number of unsaved wounds for the purposes of morale checks during the shooting and assault phase.