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EDIT: Got rid of the fluff for now due to complaints and my dissatisfaction with it.

250 Points

WS-3 BS-4 S-5 T-4 W-3 I-2(5) A-2 Ld-9 Sv-3+

Special Character: Shas'El Myenkles is a special character and may not be fielded in armies with less than 1500 points of units. He may also not be fielded with Commander Farsight, as he is loyal to the Tau Empire and is unwilling to join the Farsight Enclaves. He counts as an HQ choice and as a 1+ commander. His equipment, excluding drones, may not be altered and his special wargear may not be put on any other battlesuits. He may take a retinue of up to 3 Bodyguard Shas'vre Battlesuits. The presence of drones attached to him doesn't take away from his Independent character status, though the presence of bodyguards will until the bodyguards are dead.

Wargear: XV-12 Electronic Warfare Battlesuit Platform, Enhanced Drone Controller

XV-12: Shas'El M'Yenkles uses the experimental XV-12 battlesuit as a way for the Ethereal Caste to determine the effectiveness of the new weapon and whether or not to mass produce it. It is a platform that uses the best in sensor disruption technology, superior computing systems, and the best networked communications technologies in use. This suit gives the Acute Senses and Deepstrike special rules.

Enhanced Drone Controller: This battlesuit is able to better utilize and field drones due to a combination of a high bandwidth network and the use of very powerful computers to enhance the Drones' intelligence and control more of them at once. Shas'El M'Yenkles may field up to five drones, with each one costing five points less than they normally would.

Unit Type: Jump Infantry (Jet Pack)

Special Rules: Independent Character, Combined Targeting Processor, Integrated Swarm Control, Cognitive Function Enhancing Medicine,

Combined Targeting Processor: By taking the targeting data feeds from other Tau units and using it to form a better view of enemy movements and reactions at the squad level, the Commander is able to coordinate the unit's fire in such a way as to hem them in and prevent them from advancing. All weapons in the unit affected gain Pinning and any units that shoot after taking fire from the squad will have to take an additional Pinning test due to the ability of the commander to control the unit's firing and direct it towards exposed enemies.

Integrated Swarm Control: Due to the continued with the massive numbers of Orks and Tyranids that have often braved battlesuit firepower and at defeated them when they lacked the necessary weapons to deal with such massive numbers, the bodyguards of the rare and still experimental XV-12 Electronic Warfare Commander Suit must be prepared for any scenario as the they and the special commander they are assigned to are shipped to different conflicts for field testing this new weapon. As such, all bodyguard suits of the XV-12 have an integrated flamer that doesn't take up a hardpoint at no extra cost. It does, however, still count as a battlesuit weapon system for the purposes of using the Multitracker. If another flamer is added to the suit, they then count as twinlinked and no more flamers may be added.

Cognitive Function Enhancing Medicine: With the development of such an battlesuit that requires such large amounts of powerful electronic systems and specialized weaponry, an equally powerful mind must be used to wield it effectively. By using a cocktail of stimulants and new mind altering medicines designed to improve the functioning of Tau minds, the commander piloting the XV-12 is far more nimble and quick reacting than most Tau. The Tau Commander has initiative 5 and also has the Hit & Run rule to represent the quick reaction that follows the Tau predilection to avoid close combat. Note that this only applies to the Command suit and no other units may take this upgrade.

I need more special rules for the XV-12 battlesuit, and I'm having a hard time coming up with more active electronic warfare ideas. Any help is appreciated as well as criticism.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Any comments and constructive criticism is appreciated.

This guy is pretty weak / overpriced IMO.

Monsterous Creature Combatant is almost never going to be used (due to the initiative 1 requirement). Even when you use it Myenkles' own initiative makes Hit and Run very weak.
He has just Plasma Rifle and a Missile Pod. Even with re-rolls he's not that deadly.
He has no CC abilities, no army wide rules, and is easily out-gunned by typical commander with bodyguards. Plus they are more resistant and cost less.

Give him at least a 75 points drop with current stats and skills.


Also, could you specify: "He may also not take bodyguards or a retinue."?
Did you mean he cannot take them or what is written (may, but may not).

Fluff Violation: A shas'la is the lowest ranking of the fire caste & one would never be allowed to pilot a battle suit much less lead an army as an HQ choice. With his stats he is at least a Shas'El and must be either a Shas'El or Shas'O to lead an army.

Sorry about the Shas'la thing. I meant to say Shas'el, but I wrote it up pretty late, so I messed up. The profile will be edited.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Sorry for doulepost, but would it be a good idea to up his initiative to 3 or 4 with the justification being that he must have been quick in order to survive such close range maneuvering against the Hive Tyrants. Also, the Hit and Run rule gets replaced with the ability to move away 6 inched from the assault at the beginning of the next turn should he forgo his attacks and roll a 3+ at the beginning of the movement phase, and then also make the invuln against Monsterous creature attacks a 3+? I changed the weapons to two missile pods and a plasma rifle, since I really wanted him to be a battlesuit commander that relied more upon his own firepower and abilities than upon bolstering the entire army. Another part of the idea was that he is more frail but more powerful than most commanders, and a good player could use him to take out high value targets more effectively than standard battlesuits. Is there a way to do this without making him overcosted/overpowered?

Sorry I accidentally posted twice so put this instead.

I was actually thinking of doing away with the story for him right now entirely and start something new. Maybe a good idea would be a commander in a ECM/ECCM suit, acting as a way to mount weapons for electronic warfare. Here's a few of the ideas I came up with:

Combined Targeting Processor: By taking the targeting data feeds from other Tau units and using it to form a better view of enemy movements and reactions at the squad level, the Commander is able to coordinate the unit's fire in such a way as to hem them in and prevent them from advancing. All weapons in the unit affected gain Pinning and any units that shoot after taking fire from the squad will have to take an additional Pinning test due to the ability of the commander to control the unit's firing and direct it towards exposed enemies. 20 to 35 points

Integrated Swarm Control: Due to the continued with the massive numbers of Orks and Tyranids that have often braved battlesuit firepower and at defeated them when they lacked the necessary weapons to deal with such massive numbers, the bodyguards of the rare and still experimental XV-12 Electronic Warfare Commander Suit must be prepared for any scenario as the they and the special commander they are assigned to are shipped to different conflicts for field testing this new weapon. As such, all bodyguard suits of the XV-12 have an integrated flamer that doesn't take up a hardpoint at no extra cost. It does, however, still count as a battlesuit weapon system for the purposes of using the Multitracker. If another flamer is added to the suit, they then count as twinlinked and no more flamers may be added. Free

Cognitive Function Enhancing Medicine: With the development of such an battlesuit that requires such large amounts of powerful electronic systems and specialized weaponry, an equally powerful mind must be used to wield it effectively. By creating a cocktail of stimulants and new mind altering medicines designed to improve the functioning of Tau minds, the commander piloting the XV-12 is far more nimble and quick reacting than most Tau. The Tau Commander has initiative 5 and also has the Hit & Run rule to represent the quick reaction that follows the Tau predilection to avoid close combat. Note that this only applies to the Command suit and no other units may take this upgrade. 20 Points

That's all I can think of right now.

Your fluff is stupid IMO
Tau have an averge life span of 40 years
too short to do all that you say

While I will admit that the fluff for the character currently is subpar, I wonder how a the lifespan of a Tau factors into surviving one battle against the Tyranids. Tau tactics are about patience and then quick action when the time comes, so it wouldn't be surprising that entirely new generations of warriors were raised to fight on a planet infested by the Tyranids. That and it was an attempt at a quick pitched battle to break the swarm. Still, I'm just going to get rid of the fluff for now.