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Using up the Tau miniatures I own, and with the opportunity to buy more approaching, I decided to come up with this army so I can use them in casual games with my friends, but probably not Tournaments. Any army tweaking advice and/or tactics appreciated.

HQ 123
-Shas'O, Cyclic Ion Blaster, Burst Cannon, Shield Generator, HW Multi-Tracker, Stimulant Injectors 123

Elites 225
-3 Stealth Suits, Fusion Blaster, Shas'vre 102
-Crisis Suit, Plasma Rifle, Plasma Rifle, Targeting Array, Team Leader, HW Multi-Tracker 85
-Crisis Suit, Flamer, Flamer, Multi-Tracker 38

Troops 540
-12 Fire Warriors, Shas'ui, Bonding Knife 135
-12 Fire Warriors, Shas'ui, Bonding Knife 135
-12 Fire Warriors, Shas'ui, Bonding Knife 135
-12 Fire Warriors, Shas'ui, Bonding Knife 135

Fast Attack 276
-Piranha, Targeting Array, Fusion Blaster, Disruption Pod 80
-8 Pathfinders, Shas'ui, Bonding Knife, Devilfish w. Disruption Pod 196

Heavy Support 325
-Hammerhead, Railgun, Burst Cannons, Disruption Pod, Target Lock 165
-Broadside, Targeting Array 80
-Broadside, Targeting Array 80

Total:1499

For casual games, a lot of it depends on how you want to play. A few things jump out that are pretty universal though:

You cannot have two fo the same crisis suit weapon - ie, two plasma rifles, or two flamers. You can buy a twinlinked version of that weapon that takes up two hard points on the suit, but it will only fire once, and you do not need to have a multi tracker to use it. In general, shield drones >>>>> shield generators.

That is a LOT of Firewarriors. Firewarriors are, by and large, considered to be one of the weaker things you can spend points on in a Tau army.

Get a multi tracker on that Hammerhead - after the disruption pod, it's easily the most important piece of wargear a Hammerhead can have.

I echo Jokorey's comments.

WhiteBishop wrote:-3 Stealth Suits, Fusion Blaster, Shas'vre 102

Skip paying for the 'vre ugrade. It will have no impact on h2h in the game. Plus, one FB for 102 points is too expensive to be worthwhile. *If* you're going to run 3 Stealths, go all BCs for a focused anti-I unit. Possibly, give them 2 MarkerDrones each and use 'em that way, but I wouldn't.

WhiteBishop wrote:-Crisis Suit, Plasma Rifle, Plasma Rifle, Targeting Array, Team Leader, HW Multi-Tracker 85
-Crisis Suit, Flamer, Flamer, Multi-Tracker

Going with what Jokorey stated, these ought to be changed. One TL-PR suit is really under utilizing the XV8's capabilities. Go with the FireKnife, FireStorm, Deathrain or Helios loadouts.

WhiteBishop wrote:-12 Fire Warriors, Shas'ui, Bonding Knife 135
-12 Fire Warriors, Shas'ui, Bonding Knife 135
-12 Fire Warriors, Shas'ui, Bonding Knife 135
-12 Fire Warriors, Shas'ui, Bonding Knife 135

A 3 suit list, with 48 FWs is *friendly*.

I'd lose one unit of FWs and the Stealths and play at 1250. It'll be a tighter list.

WhiteBishop wrote:-Broadside, Targeting Array
-Broadside, Targeting Array

They really need SDs and Bonding.

Firstly, I'd like to point out that I'm aiming to keep the army in the 1500pts zone, for me and my friends' standard battles.

Thanks for the heads up on the suit systems, re-read the codex section and seen you were right. After more Dakka page research, I'll be going with the following for my Suits

-Deathrain. TL Missile Pod, Targeting Array. 53
-Sunforge. TL Fusion Blaster, Targeting Array. 53

The Stealths are losing the 'vre and FB as well.
Altogether, this will make my Elites choice 193pts, saving me 33pts (army was 1499, so 1pt was spare)

Multi-tracker added to the Railhead. 23pts left

The Fire Warriors are being changed into 4 squads of 9, with a 'ui and a BK, read up that this is optimal for FW squads. This is 420pts, leaving 143pts
This adds flexibility, same ability to take objectives but saves points, still provide a lot of firepower and still need to take 3 casualties before a morale check.

Each Broadside is changed to the following, adding 40pts to each:
-Broadside. Targeting Array, Team Leader. Drone Controller, 2 Shield Drones, BK 120

This spends an extra 80pts, leaving 63pts. Any more advice welcome as to what to spend it on.

I'd try to squeeze a squad of 20 kroot(Kroot and Kroot hounds) For a speedbump or pathfinders for Markerlights. Warboss said in another Tau army list thread "i wouldn't upgrade a FW to a shas'ui unless you're more heavily invested (full squad of 12)." so you could use those points on Pathfinders or kroot. I never use Stealth Suits(save Shadowsun) But that's a personal preference thing. Kroot and markerlights are both useful.