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So I'm thinking about starting tau to get away from all the power armor. I'm looking for some advice on this list. I know there are different schools on thought on this, but I do not like to go markerlight heavy, also I'm open to the idea of splitting the 9 man squads of firewarriors up into three six man squads. Also my local meta right now is a mix of everything, we have DE, Wagon Orks, Nurgle/Khorne Chaos, Mechdar and a smattering of different SM and BA armies.


So Without Further Ado....

Commander Shas'el =87
Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle, Multi Tracker

3 Crisis Suit =142
3 TL Missile Pod, 2 Flamer, 1 Target Lock

3 Crisis Suit =201
3 Missile Pod, 3 TL Plasma Rifle

3 Crisis Suit =189
3 Plasma Rifle, 3 TL Missile Pod

9 Firewarriors =90

9 Firewarriors =90

13 Kroot Carnivores = 91

3 Broadside Battlesuits =280
Team Leader, Bonding Knife, HW Drone Controller
2 Shield Drones, 3 Advanced Stabilization Systems

Hammerhead =165
Railgun, Burst Cannons, Disruption Pod, Multi tracker

Hammerhead =165
Railgun, Burst Cannons, Disruption Pod, Multi tracker

=1500

I have been feeling like I might not have enough anti infantry, anyone else have any thoughts on that?

Well its not so much that you dont have enough anti-infantry as it is that you aren't quite being efficient enough with your points. For example, it is a personal preference of mine not to take multi-trackers on hammerheads, as their burst cannons really dont do much to help the offensive capabilities of the HH and its main gun has such a long range that moving 12" usually isnt essential in helping it fire.

Another thing is that if you're giving broadsides ASS's instead of target locks then their really isnt a point in taking a squad of 3 as you'll only be able to shoot at two separate targets anyway, so again, its my personal preference to only take 2 with ASS's

Also there is pretty much no point at all in taking 9 man squads of fire warriors. You either take 6 in a fish for objective grabbing or you take the full 12 with a bonding knife and actually gotry to kill something. If you're going to just take 6 in a fish its also not really necessary to take a disruption pod on them as you'll more than likely be starting them in from reserve and moving all out when they come in anyway which gives you the exact same bonus.

The kroot can go either way, infiltrating them on objectives can be handy, outflanking can be handy, so I wouldnt change much there.

You may want to consider taking multi-trackers on the suits instead of TL'ing them, it will give them more shots overall albeit less accurate ones.

The railheads submunitions are more than enough anti-infantry, the suits with the plasma are great at killing the tougher infantry or MC's.

So yea. You can either do what I suggested and free up 160 points to use elsewhere (this could be used to take 2 devilfish with the firewarriors). Or you could try and get yourself some markerlights in your list because I really cant stress how important they are.

I guess I have a couple questions then, Do you seem to have good luck with only one Broadside killing a tank? For me it seems while having a TL BS 3 S 10 AP1 Railgun is pretty impressive one shot isn't always enough to take down vehicles in cover or smoke. I used the target lock on the team lead just in case I have a plethora of easy targets to kill. Do you have problems with the Broadsides without ASS's when you play dawn or war or need to hold in reserve?

On the fire warriors, is it completely insane to keep them with no devilfish and 6 man squads, or are they too squishy not to be full squads on the ground?

On the suits I have tried multi trackers instead of TL weapons and was fond of them, but I have been wanting to give TL weapons a try as in my playtests I have had some trouble hitting.

ragnor2004 wrote:Commander =Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle, Multi Tracker

Shas'el or 'O ?

ragnor2004 wrote:3 Crisis Suit 3 TL Missile Pod, 2 Flamer, 1 Target Lock

Deathrains, with 2 having flamers. Hmm.

ragnor2004 wrote:3 Crisis Suit =3 Missile Pod, 3 TL Plasma Rifle
3 Crisis Suit = 3 Plasma Rifle, 3 TL Missile Pod

Definitely put the MT on instead of the TL-MP and Target Locks. Then you'll get to fire the MP *and* PR. If you don't like having poor BS3, then make One a team leader in each unit and that guy gets a : PR/MP Target Array and hwMT, thus BS4 while his buddies are still BS3. It helps.

You already stated not going with markerlights, but if you want higher volume fire from your suits, then they need to be freed up from Twin-Linkage, and then they need MarkerLight support from Pathfinders as you head to higher point games, 1500+.

ragnor2004 wrote:3 Broadside Battlesuits =280
Team Leader, Bonding Knife, HW Drone Controller
2 Shield Drones, 3 Advanced Stabilization Systems
Hammerhead = Railgun, Burst Cannons, Disruption Pod, Multi tracker

Good.

Ah the commander is a Shas'El, I've fixed the first post.

For the Deathrains w/ flamers I wanted a cheap suit unit and to add a little ant infantry/anti cover to the army, and if need be and I am presented with multiple light army targets I can have the target lock suit concentrate fire with my commander and the other two Deathrains take on another target. Not sure about the setup though I would love to hear more thoughts.

So after some tinkering here is a revised list.

Commander Shas'el =90
Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle, Multi Tracker ,HW Blacksun Filter

3 Crisis Suit =142
3 TL Missile Pod, 2 Flamer, 1 Target Lock

3 Crisis Suit =186
3 Plasma Rifle, 3 Missile Pod, 3 Multi Tracker

3 Crisis Suit =186
3 Plasma Rifle, 3 Missile Pod, 3 Multi Tracker

9 Firewarriors =90

9 Firewarriors =90

15 Kroot Carnivores = 105

3 Broadside Battlesuits =280
Team Leader, Bonding Knife, HW Drone Controller
2 Shield Drones, 3 Advanced Stabilization Systems

Hammerhead =165
Railgun, Burst Cannons, Disruption Pod, Multi tracker

Hammerhead =165
Railgun, Burst Cannons, Disruption Pod, Multi tracker

=1499

I've kept the Multi Trackers on the Railheads as I love being able to move 12 and shoot.

ragnor2004 wrote:Commander Shas'el =Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle, Multi Tracker ,HW Blacksun Filter

I'd find a few points to give him a Target Array for the increase in BS, dropping the BSF.

ragnor2004 wrote:Railgun, Burst Cannons, Disruption Pod, Multi tracker
I've kept the Multi Trackers on the Railheads as I love being able to move 12 and shoot.

If you can find points to Target Lock the Railheads, then you can move Combat Speed and fire the BCs at infantry and the RG at a tank.

Yeah I could easily drop the BSF its really there just to help take up the last 4 points I had left. If i drop that and one of the kroot I added I could give him and Target Lock, and I think I will look into this.

The target lock on the railheads though concerns me because in general I like to keep my tank moving over 6.

ragnor2004 wrote:Yeah I could easily drop the BSF its really there just to help take up the last 4 points I had left. If i drop that and one of the kroot I added I could give him and Target Array, and I think I will look into this.

I don't know if the HH can have multiple Targeting Arrays. It comes standard with one, but if you can take it twice definitely do that.

ragnor2004 wrote:The target lock on the railheads though concerns me because in general I like to keep my tank moving over 6.

I agree. Plus if you move 6 and you happen to be in assaulting range, they only have to roll 4s to hit you. Move 12 and they have to roll 6. I see Brothererekose's point, but I think that's a matter of personal preference.

I don't know if the HH can have multiple Targeting Arrays. It comes standard with one, but if you can take it twice definitely do that.

Sorry I meant target lock, If I could have BS 5 railheads I would be fairly happy.