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Lately I have been sucking really bad with my large tau army lists (2000-3000), so I decided to make a 1000pt list and get opinions to try to see where I'm messing up so I can rework my way up to the larger lists.

HQ-Shas'el w/ 2 bodyguards, 3x TL MP, 3x TA, HW Drone Controller, 2x Shield Drones --- 234

Troop-6 Fire Warriors, LU, Markerlight --- 80

Troop-6 Fire Warriors --- 60

Heavy-Railhead w/ SMS, Disruption Pod, Decoy Launchers, MT - 180

Heavy-Railhead w/ SMS, Disruption Pod, Decoy Launchers, MT - 180

Heavy-3x Broadsides w/ MT, LU, HW Drone Controller, 2x Shield Drones - 265


TOTAL: 999pts


Any comments and opinions greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.

Joe

So much anti-tank inna 1k list. I'd drop a railhead for a suit team, or something else with moar shots. IMO i'd want more horde control in a 1k list, unless your meta is full of tanks, i play mostly agianst IG, nids, and orks however, so in my circles pure anti-tank lists get ate up.

ThatTauGuyJoe wrote:Lately I have been sucking really bad with my large tau army lists (2000-3000),

That's because pretty much any SM army will be better at that high range, and tau top out at 1750 or less. Fleshing out tau passed 2k means using Fast Attack for 2 squads of piranhas or 2 units of PFs. Lotsa Warfsih, which are over priced (I like 'em, but they're too much). And going to 3k? That means full points spent on FWs or Kroot. Oy.

Just not good. Not when the enemy is spending those points on far deadlier units, like a tactical in a bladed, armored rhino.

ThatTauGuyJoe wrote:HQ-Shas'el w/ 2 bodyguards, 3x TL MP, 3x TA, HW Drone Controller, 2x Shield Drones --- 234

First, don't go with bodyguards, until you fill out the Elite units with suits first. They're pricier for no gain. You'll pick up points by having an HQ Deathrain, and two solitary Deathrains. Each is easier to hide with JSJ, and harder to catch in h2h, and it splits your fire. Spend the saved points on your tanks, below.

ThatTauGuyJoe wrote:Troop-6 Fire Warriors, LU, Markerlight --- 80
Troop-6 Fire Warriors ---

One ML ain't worth it at this level. Cut it to boost your Railheads.

ThatTauGuyJoe wrote:Heavy-Railhead w/ SMS, Disruption Pod, Decoy Launchers, MT - 180
Heavy-Railhead w/ SMS, Disruption Pod, Decoy Launchers, MT -

Decoy Launchers would good in 4e, but not now. Toss 'em and replace with Target Locks, so your BCs can shoot infantry and the RG gets tanks, or uses its pie-plate elsewhere. And yes, BCs, instead of SMS. Many points less and two more dice, for a small range sacrifice. Add Flechettes if you've freed up enough points.

ThatTauGuyJoe wrote:Heavy-3x Broadsides w/ MT, LU, HW Drone Controller, 2x Shield Drones - 265

I'd bond 'em. The MT is the worst choice here. 1k is so few enemy models, that they'll have lotsa Cover to use. So, you'll want A.s.s. to be able to Move a bit to keep LoS. Yes, I know shooting the SMS ignores LoS, but ... well. Unless you play really lightly terrained tables.

Most of the tables are really light terrain at the shop I play at, could add more, but we usually use fields with 5-7 pieces of terrain. There's an urban death table that I do far worse at because I can't keep LoS at all. I mainly stick to light terrain cuz i can keep LoS and shoot max range.