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I like the idea of having the skimmers move along as shields to protect from fear and the suits move along the side of the board. It keeps the castle moving and allows the tactic to work in more than just vp objectives. The podder would have to get real lucky to get enough pods to fence in the army.

Longshot, fearing the suits would take them off the board by staggering another pod behind them. They get feared and fall back 3d6. Another pod behind them keeps them from getting a regrouping check and they fall back again 3d6, sometimes this is enough to take them off the board. This is a great tactic against marines also.

I agree that Tau will have to find a way to deal with pods or they are finished. The prevelance of pod armies and their success all weekend will spead their noteriety. I expect to see many more pod players, especially Templar and Space Wolf podders. I had more than one conversation with some very skilled players who are taking a long look at pods and planning on making them their next army. My next two armies are Tau and Iron Warrior/LaTD lists and I will have to get them both to work against pods. I already know the Godzilla list eats up pod armies (anhilated the Gladiator champ several times over the past few months) so if these two new armies fail, then I'll be back to carnifex's and hive tyrants.

I hate to say it, but I've been wondering if a Tau special character is the solution GW devs had for dealing with Fear.

Shadowsun provides a LD10 bubble around her and Aun'va makes all Tau units stubborn.

It kind of sucks that the best advantages we have against fear are high cost special character HQ units.

Ezz

It double sucks that Space Pope costs £20. There are only three models in the box!

At first glance neither character is worth their points. They can't shoot well (Shadowsun only shoots 12") and they aren't good in HtH.

"I already know the Godzilla list eats up pod armies"

Not a terminator heavy pod list. My style of podders will have no trouble shooting a godzilla list off the board.

 

Sounds like we have a grudge match in the works! I can see it now...Fred vs Ed....I'd pay to see that! Capt K

Ed, on Stealth, numbers wise 5-6 is optimal. 4 dos not do enough damage for the points, but you dropped em anyway.

Kroot are extremely effective when used correctly, especially at 70pts for 10. Kroot in woods absolutely destroy Gaunts for example.

Your list dos not seem to me to be an optimal mech list, more of a reaction to the drop pod list. Who fields that anyway? I haven't played 40k in so long I don't know how common it is these days.

As to your tactic for dealing with DP's, I had the same idea, and it will work with infantry too, if not as well because the outside units can still be feared.

Mkistler- 4 does the same damage for its points as 6 does, so I don't see the problem. My concern with full-sized stealth squads (or crisis squads) has always been that they are very expensive for the number of wounds they have. It's too easy for a deep-striking or drop podding whatever (marine, IG plasma suicide squad, etc) to come in and wipe them out. I like the 4 suit stealth team because it still gives you a great mobile unit with decent firepower, but reduces its value to the point where it isn't a no-brainer to drop your one-shot wonder weapon on (and you can afford to lose it). Plus, that's more points for more scoring units, something I think the Tau need to focus on.

You need 1 squad of kroot, it's not going to hurt you against podders, and it will help you greatly against alpha legion. Kroot are also pretty decent at scoring too, I've found the better the opponent, the more they get ignored (as I make sure that shooting at them is a waste of time, hoping they'll take the bait), thus they score.

Speaking of scoring, I suggest taking at least 1 piranha. Stealths are good at scoring, but piranhas are better in cleanse and secure and control. I'd give it fusion and array.

Assuming you're going to say no to the piranha (don't say no to kroot, I've played 90 games of tau in 4th, they're fantastic), why?

My 1850 tau list would depend upon the results of the IC thread in YMTC forum. It seems that by RAW, a commander with shield drones still cannot be targetted unless the closest. It also seems that a commander counts as scoring when with bodyguards (losing an 82pt bodyguard would make a 179pt scoring unit into a non-scoring unit). Further, a commander does not seem to count as a seperate unit in combat when with bodyguards.

This would greatly effect my list. If my interpretation of the RAW is correct, it would look like this:

Shas'el - fk5 2 shield 127
Guard - fk4 82
Guard - fk4 82
Shas'el - fk5 2 shield 127
Guard - fk4 82
Guard - fk4 82

Crisis - fk4 77
4 Stealth 120
4 Stealth 120

12 Fire Warriors - Shas'ui - in Devilfish - sms, decoys, multi, array, pod 255
10 Kroot 70

Piranha - fusion, array 70

Railhead - sms, decoys, multi, lock, pod 185
Railhead - sms, decoys, multi, lock, pod 185
Railhead - sms, decoys, multi, lock, pod 185