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Pointless question until we get it in hand.

Initial impressions from leaks, i would put it on par with nids.

I can tell ya my tau lists have not been changed by the leaks or official previews.

 Fafnir wrote:
Except the Eldar book is really bad. It's got two units that are absurdly powerful right now, but the rest of the book is in need of some serious reworking.

This is factually wrong, the codex has a ton of competitive units and builds. The problem is Dark Reapers, Shinning Spears and Ynnari are so OP nobody even try to use other things, but many people has done work with strong blobs of guardians for example.

 Galas wrote:

 Fafnir wrote:
Except the Eldar book is really bad. It's got two units that are absurdly powerful right now, but the rest of the book is in need of some serious reworking.

This is factually wrong, the codex has a ton of competitive units and builds. The problem is Dark Reapers, Shinning Spears and Ynnari are so OP nobody even try to use other things, but many people has done work with strong blobs of guardians for example.

There are a few units that are usable beyond the big two, but so many more that are completely out of touch with the game and unviable.

Avatar of Khaine
Autarchs that don't ride bikes
Most of the Phoenix Lords
Warlocks/Councils
Howling Banshees
Striking Scorpions
Shadow Spectres (not codex, but I'm sore)
Swooping Hawks
Windriders
Vypers
Warp Spiders
Falcons
Nightspinners
Support Batteries
Wraithlords
Wraithknights

Units that range from mediocre to just plain awful. That's the majority of the codex. And that's before we get to the terrible faction traits, warlord traits, and relics. The book has some serious problems.

Ow, that last option.

Mid-tier.

 Grimgold wrote:

 Daedalus81 wrote:

 BoomWolf wrote:

Because of the sheer stupidity that is the coldstar who can pick any 4 guns. even with just any 2 guns it would be incredible.

I mean it's 176 points on 6 T5 wounds with no invuln, so...ymmv.

Sounds like an easy round of shooting for hellblasters.

Good thing no one uses Hellblasters

Pretty tolerable. Depends on how you use it.

Voted for mid-tier, but I feel they might be better than that. My meta is kind of different and I can't spam fire warriors here, but I think I see a way to build an effective combined arms force capable of dealing with various threats present in the meta right now.

Going to be playing a lot of 40k after next saturday I think.

 Marmatag wrote:

 Grimgold wrote:

 Daedalus81 wrote:

 BoomWolf wrote:

Because of the sheer stupidity that is the coldstar who can pick any 4 guns. even with just any 2 guns it would be incredible.

I mean it's 176 points on 6 T5 wounds with no invuln, so...ymmv.

Sounds like an easy round of shooting for hellblasters.

Good thing no one uses Hellblasters

They're really pretty common among casual players.

 meleti wrote:

 Marmatag wrote:

 Grimgold wrote:

 Daedalus81 wrote:

 BoomWolf wrote:

Because of the sheer stupidity that is the coldstar who can pick any 4 guns. even with just any 2 guns it would be incredible.

I mean it's 176 points on 6 T5 wounds with no invuln, so...ymmv.

Sounds like an easy round of shooting for hellblasters.

Good thing no one uses Hellblasters

They're really pretty common among casual players.

Theres literally no DA list without hellblasters.

Too bad the coldstar always has the first shot, and can vaporize the hellblasters than, isn't it?

It does not matter with the Chapter Ancient. They still shoot you down even in death.

Is not the first time 4 dead rapidfire Hellblasters have killed a full squad of 5 Terminators that killed them after deepstriking

So, anyone has a clue what enforcer Commander does? Also, is there any change about options for commanders? And is stimulant injector still in?

 Marmatag wrote:


Good thing no one uses Hellblasters

Well howdy marmatag, how is life?

Anyway, hellblasters was an example, I play DA gunline and hellblasters are a pretty clutch unit for that style so it's just the first thing that popped into my mind. In fact there is a whole host of units just in the SM codex that could do it as well or better, Lascannon devs (pretty much any devastator config really), a predator, plasma inceptors, devastator centurions, assault cannon razorbacks, etc. Good talk though.

 Galas wrote:
It does not matter with the Chapter Ancient. They still shoot you down even in death.

Is not the first time 4 dead rapidfire Hellblasters have killed a full squad of 5 Terminators that killed them after deepstriking

All the Tau player has to do is deepstrike drones wherever the commanders land. At least up to turn three.

Dandelion wrote:

 Galas wrote:
It does not matter with the Chapter Ancient. They still shoot you down even in death.

Is not the first time 4 dead rapidfire Hellblasters have killed a full squad of 5 Terminators that killed them after deepstriking

All the Tau player has to do is deepstrike drones wherever the commanders land. At least up to turn three.

I play the "Scout Squad for deepstrike-denial" card! Your turn, Yugi-boy!

 Galas wrote:

Dandelion wrote:

 Galas wrote:
It does not matter with the Chapter Ancient. They still shoot you down even in death.

Is not the first time 4 dead rapidfire Hellblasters have killed a full squad of 5 Terminators that killed them after deepstriking

All the Tau player has to do is deepstrike drones wherever the commanders land. At least up to turn three.

I play the "Scout Squat for deepstrike-denial" card! Your turn, Yugi-boy!

I wasn't ready for a challenge! *panics*

Plays "deepstrike 50 shield drones across the board and out of LOS" card. Uses "character targeting rule".

 Galas wrote:

Dandelion wrote:

 Galas wrote:
It does not matter with the Chapter Ancient. They still shoot you down even in death.

Is not the first time 4 dead rapidfire Hellblasters have killed a full squad of 5 Terminators that killed them after deepstriking

All the Tau player has to do is deepstrike drones wherever the commanders land. At least up to turn three.

I play the "Scout Squad for deepstrike-denial" card! Your turn, Yugi-boy!

Or use the Auspex Scan Stratagem.

It's a solid book, but not about to knock Eldar or Nids off their perch anytime soon. Bor'kan trait will probably be the go-to for competitive play, with possible Farsight Crisis drops mixed in (the only possible useful way to run XV8's as it stands ). Definitely better than Grey Knights or Codex: Golden Jetbike Captains, but unlike those Tau are stuck with only their book and unable to really make soup lists other than taking different septs.

That said, I'm happy with it. I'll be taking my Tau off the shelf for the first time since 8th edition dropped, since more of the stuff I actually own is competitive now. We won't just see lists with drones and as many Commanders as players can fit in, but rather hordes of Fire Warriors with big suits supporting them. It's a good time to be a follower of the Greater Good!

While I like Bor'kan and will probably be using them the most myself, T'au has all the characters. There are a lot of builds in there because of that. Farsight is also good. I don't think the others are bad, but I dunno. I will have to study it more to see where they really stand.


All that being said, I think the Tau codex is closest to Nids when compared to all the other codexes. A lot of really viable looking options. No list looks like a clear win. You need to work to make the powerful combos really powerful.

It's going to take some testing obviously to see how it really pans out but I am looking forward to it.

The problem is the way the commander limit impacts the sept traits.

You are basically forced to have a fireblade/ethreal, therefor any sept not geared towards a gunline is suboptimal.

So, Bork'an or T'au basically are the only options for a battalion, with FSE/Vior'la as options for other detachments only.

I'm with the sentiment that Tau are going to be on a level similar to Tyranids. We likely won't be overturning the tourney scene, but we have some potent units. Borkan stands out to me as the clear winner for competitive play, though Tau might also see some action. As noted above, Viorla and FSE are fun for gimmicks and small detachments, and they might find their way into some semi-competitive lists for Crisis bomvs or hot Breacher action. Overall, I'm happy with the codex. It's nice to have a playable army!

 BoomWolf wrote:
Too bad the coldstar always has the first shot, and can vaporize the hellblasters than, isn't it?

Then it takes a lascannon to the face and dies. Thing is, 4-gun coldstars may have a LOT of dakka, they're also incredibly fragile for their cost. If you send 2 or 3 of them in without support you can expect the same amount of smoking wrecks next turn.

LOL at people voting that a codex that hasn't released yet is trash.

Once the initial internet rage subsides, people will start to realise that Tau look to be quite a versatile codex that supports different playstyles and synergies.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Pandabeer wrote:

 BoomWolf wrote:
Too bad the coldstar always has the first shot, and can vaporize the hellblasters than, isn't it?

Then it takes a lascannon to the face and dies. Thing is, 4-gun coldstars may have a LOT of dakka, they're also incredibly fragile for their cost. If you send 2 or 3 of them in without support you can expect the same amount of smoking wrecks next turn.

So... Support them then with other units? Are you honestly complaining that a unit on it's own in front of a entire army will die too easily?

Yes, clearly trash since it can't tank an entire shooting phase.

 NurglesR0T wrote:


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Pandabeer wrote:

 BoomWolf wrote:
Too bad the coldstar always has the first shot, and can vaporize the hellblasters than, isn't it?

Then it takes a lascannon to the face and dies. Thing is, 4-gun coldstars may have a LOT of dakka, they're also incredibly fragile for their cost. If you send 2 or 3 of them in without support you can expect the same amount of smoking wrecks next turn.

So... Support them then with other units? Are you honestly complaining that a unit on it's own in front of a entire army will die too easily?

Yes, clearly trash since it can't tank an entire shooting phase.

Umm, read before turning on your smartass mode? I'm not posting a single complaint at all. What's more, I'm actually pretty excited about the T'au codex. I was simply pointing out that if you use your Coldstar as a special-snowflake model sniper you leave it very vulnerable (unless, of course, you manage to deepstrike a bunch of other units near him so he's not closest anymore).

I read your post on face value and responded to in kind.

With deepstriking drones and 40" movement with 9"/18" range-it shouldn't be excessively difficult to get a snipe off while staying safe.

I'm going to listen to a few reviews of the codex today and I'll make my assessment then.

From what I've heard on the grapevine though, the book seems mid-high tier. It certainly has some shenanigans.

Whoever claimed a large number of Eldar units are bad is completely wrong. My most common foe is Eldar, he does very well with a fluffy Ulthwe list of Guardians, War Walkers, Vypers, Wind Riders a single Fire Prism and Warlocks. Eldar's strength isn't it's unit profiles, it's the fact that the faction has some of the most ridiculously strong stratagems and often breaks/ignores the rules of the game.

 NurglesR0T wrote:
LOL at people voting that a codex that hasn't released yet is trash.

Once the initial internet rage subsides, people will start to realise that Tau look to be quite a versatile codex that supports different playstyles and synergies.

The lack of self-awareness and hypocrisy in this short post is just so hilariously off the charts.

Thankfully the internet still has champions like you, good sir. LOL.