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i like the tau tetra model and actively dislike the piranha model and was thinking about getting a few tetras and converting them to piranha counts as. i'd be adding wings to the front to hold the drones piranhas carry but the model would still be smaller. i'm not an avid tourney player (and if i did bring my tau to a tourney, i wouldn't use them most likely) and was wondering in general if people thought that the size difference would be enough to cry foul. it's almost impossible to find any tabletop pics to show a direct size comparison (i say almost because i tried for about 20 minutes with no success but that doesn't mean they're not out there...). the closest i found is a drawing of the two in the same scale. if anyone has a pic of a tau army with piranhas and tetras, i'd appreciate a link to it.

In a friendly game I have no issues with "counts as" units.

looks fine to me, assuming the weapon loadout was right.

I mean, they're basically identical vehicles...

I think its fine. hell, I though they WERE both the same when I saw them for the first time so yeah, role with them just be sure to add the right weapons.

I would however not allow you to use them and ask you why your wern't spending your points the right way

I'd be fine with it and I'm sure most people would as well. Plus, the Tetra looks cooler than the Piranha, imo. As for tournaments, I doubt most would have a problem with it, as they're almost the same size anyway.

Sure!

im not a competative jerk like some people, so I think it would be a fresh look and different, I would allow it without a problem....but of course i cant speak for everyone...some people think that their integrity as a tactician will be jeapordized if the size or scale of a model is slighty off! --keyword in that sentence 'MODEL'

As long as the weapons are represented.

wow... some quick replies while i was looking on gw's site! i found a pic *sort of* on one of their apoc pdf formations (attached below). to answer the above questions, i'd be paying the points for a piranha as well as converting the appropriate weapon onto the vehicle (a fusion gun in my case). i'd either attach the drones using some plasticard wings to the front engines (similar to the piranha.. which i'm not fond of but would be similar to the original design) or use the tau apoc command vehicle bit to attach the drones to the back periscope area instead.

You could just mount the drones on flying base stalks in the the same positions where they would be on a standard Piranha, but unattached to the main body - fluffwise the vehicle represents a new model Piranha which has 'slave' drones programmed to fly alongside. That way the overall vehicle size and shape would pretty much match a standard Piranha.

I wouldn't have a problem with you using them as piranha... Hell, I thought those were alternate piranha models. Learn something new everday.

Well the pics look like they are pretty close in size, and if you add what you were talking about adding, and use the correct weapon loadouts then I dont any problem with it at all. Even in a tourny I think it would be pretty clear what it was

to be honest, i don't think the pics show the size difference very well which is why i tried to find a tabletop somewhat overhead pic of both in use... unfortunately, no one seems to have one on the ENTIRE internet!

I really can't see anybody arguing this at all, ever.

Same height, so line of sight wouldn't be a problem with cover saves. I'd let you use it.

A tetra looks like a Tau equivalent of a sledge!

I would be ok with it.

I'd accept these as counts as. I don't happen to like pirhanas either so I can sympathize with you.

thanks to the dakkite who bumped the thread! apparently it was good luck seeing as how the trade i was supposed to get the tetras from fell through a month ago but i just picked up two on ebay for a decent price as a mini xmas gift for myself! a friend has a pirannha so i'll be able to post some pics of the two side by side for a size comparison since apparently no one on the internet has done that according to my search a few weeks back.

I think it might resembale the fw parrana TX-42 a bit, the ones with the roofs but otherwise fine. just make it clear when you use them.

so i finally got my hands on my new tetras as well as met up with a friend who has a piranha for a bit of a photo shoot. now that i have actual pics of the two together, i can see that there is a size discrepancy. i might have to try and find some piranha wings to add to the tetras but frankly that'll make them look like the models i don't like in the first place. sigh. any ideas?

some quick photoshop to add to the discussion. if i added the wings from the piranha, would that be acceptable as a "counts as" for those who wouldn't accept it in the first place?

There is still a considerable size discrepency between the tetra and the piranha, and you're steering quite a bit away from the original model towards the one you dont like. Maybe do something with the base to compensate for the lack of bulk instead? (such as rock outcroppings and/or foliage that mark where the Piranha "should" be?)

I'd just take the Tetras if I were you, but to each his own.

I would say take it if you want to, but make sure the base is the right size. I don't play much 40k, but in WFB (at least in our area) 'counts as' units are allowed so long as the weapons are reprisented and the base size is correct.

I wouldn't have a problem with that. Just keep the base size the same and the weapon layouts the same.