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Tau are meant to be adaptable(just look at the introduction of the tiger shark ax-10 to combat titans) so I think they would come equipped for the eventuality that close combat is inevitable.

I still dont think a rending PW is very tau though. I like the suggestion of evasive counter measures but its rare to see a unit of say fire warriors last even a turn in close combat so hit and run wouldnt work, and the fact they are initiative 2...

Maybe the ability to forgoe close combat attacks for a "stand and shoot" ability before close combat attacks are made. So the unit gets to make a single shooting attack at the enemy chargers, this will be non rapid fire(indicating the enemy closing in too quickly).

What do you think?

The splody drone sounds sweet. Excellent idea!

Instead of holding their ground for a final barrage (the Tau tend to give ground rather than shoot) perhaps a piece of wargear that forces an assaulting unit to make a difficult terrain check on it's way to the fight?

This works out well for a number of reasons.

First, unless the assaulter brought grenades it robs them of the bonus on the charge. Second, it creates the chance that the assaulting unit might not actually reach the Tau line and flounder in easy rapid fire range even after the Tau back up.

It always seemed a paradox to me that Tau are all about adaptability and yet have an army so utterly unable to deal with threats by anything except shooting them from far away. It just doesn't seem very...adaptable. I like the idea of a commander unit that can be CC orientated. Hell, if the orks get lootas then the Tau deserve a close-combat commander!

I'd really like to see them explore the schism in tau tactics between guys like farsight and the rest. What fits better in the grim darkness of the far future than an empire at the bring of tearing itself apart over military ideology?