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Hello Dakka! Thought I'd share a list I've been doing great with. It's been tweaked since I first came up with it (a few weapon swaps here and there) but overall same thing. It does incorperate some fluffy tau weapons but I really like using them and they've came in handy many times.

HQ:

Shas'o (50pts)
PR, CIB, hwMT, TA, Drone Controller, Shield Drone [115]
2xBodyGuards [164]
PRs, MPs, TAs, hwMTs

ELITES:

3xCrisis Suits [215]
Team Leader w/ Drone Controller, Shield Drone
All suits w/ TLPR, TAs

3xCrisis Suits [199]
Shas'o w/ AFB (largeblast no cover), TLMP, hwMT, Drone Controller, Shield Drone
2xSuits w/TLMPs, TAs

6xStealth Suits [224]
2xFusion Guns w/ 2xTarget Locks
4xTAs on the ones w/ burst cannons

TROOPS:
10xKroot [106]
6xHounds

10xKroot [106]
6xHounds

6xFire Warriors [60]

FAST ATTACK:

6xPathFinders [72]
Devilfish, DP, SMS, TL, TA, MT [125]

HEAVY SUPPORT:

2xBroadsides w/ ASS . Team Leader w/ hwTL, Drone controller, Shield Drone [185]

2xBroadsides w/ ASS . Team Leader w/ hwTL, Drone controller, Shield Drone [185]

So, my list is focused on reliable fire. I went for everything TL and hitting on 3s. This makes my pathfinder's markerlights be used on removing cover saves rather than making my shots actually be able to hit (I find 4+'s hard to roll). Cover is real easy to get in 5th edition and I'd rather be focused on dealing with that than my own armies unreliable shooting.

My Kroot serve as buffers for my shooty suits, while my Firewarriors take the devil fish and sit pretty. Devilfish is upgraded to make up for my fire warriors tendency to suck. And to fill in points.

Might try and save points from devil fish for more kroot or hounds but not sure..

Broadsides can shoot at 4 different targets so their my solid anti tank.

I like the load out of my suits as they can deal with an array of enemies. I originally had the CIB on my TLPRcrisis suit squad leader but it came out to be to expensive and unreliable.

Anyway, I've been doing particularly good with this list, but I wanted to see what other tau players thought as I haven'tplayed this army too long.

Short answer.

You should go here http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/421664.page#3762482

choose a variant, and tweak from there.

For elites, there is NO reason to take Stealth Suits over Crisis Suits. GW made a huge mistake here.

Mr. DK wrote:Shas'o - PR, CIB, hwMT, TA, Drone Controller, Shield Drone [115]

The Target Array can't help him get to BS6. Keep it though, when you demote him to 'El, because an 'El is far more economical than the 'O, so I'd recommend that change. It'd save enough points for BKs on your large suit units. I find the price of a BK worth rallying a lone surviving suit since there are HQ or Team Leaders already present.

And Morale Check-base psy-powers from Matt Ward goofery are becoming more and more prevalent.

Mr. DK wrote:3xCrisis Suits [199]
Shas'o w/ AFB (largeblast no cover), TLMP, hwMT, Drone Controller, Shield Drone

A BK here, too.

Mr. DK wrote:Devilfish, DP, SMS, TL, TA, MT [125]

A Target Lock for 3 shots one way and 4 another isn't going accomplish much. All 7 shots into one unit might kill something.

Mr. DK wrote:2xBroadsides w/ ASS . Team Leader w/ hwTL, Drone controller, Shield Drone [185]

2xBroadsides w/ ASS . Team Leader w/ hwTL, Drone controller, Shield Drone [185]

Again, you have points on an 'O demotion to give these guys a BK.

Mr. DK wrote:Anyway, I've been doing particularly good with this list, but I wanted to see what other tau players thought as I haven'tplayed this army too long.

Glad you've been doing well.

Hey thanks man. Yea i ment the Shas'el actually I just didn't have the book on me. The bonding knives are a great idea I will invest in them.

Thought the TL was the+1BS for vehicles, my bad.

I like stealth suits though, they really shine in this list. Yes their not the best, but being able to shoot at tanks as well as infantry at the same time really helps. They also make up for the lack of the most abundant weapon in the tau aresnal, the str5 ap5 gun. my list doesn't have to much anti infantry without the stealth suits anyway, and the ablitiy to infiltrate and can't really be targeted above 36" really adds survivability.

Quite impressed you've been doing well with this, I should like to play you one day. I think it would be pretty damn fun.

Mr. DK wrote:Hey thanks man.

Yer welcome.

Mr. DK wrote:I like stealth suits though, they really shine in this list. Yes their not the best,

It's not that they're horrible, it is just that XV8s are far better.

It's the same thing with the SkyRay. Not a bad vehicle, but with b-sides and railheads competing for the same FoC slot, it is never considered.

SkyRays and Stealths are going to be benchwarmers until a new 'dex.


But, given what models a person owns, taking Stealths is alright. *If* I had to take 'em, I'd go all BCs, TAs, Bonded.

Mr. DK wrote:I like stealth suits though, they really shine in this list. Yes their not the best, but being able to shoot at tanks as well as infantry at the same time really helps.

But you are paying a significant premium for that flexibility. Also, it is not as if Crisis Suits cannot have that flexibility.

Mr. DK wrote:They also make up for the lack of the most abundant weapon in the tau aresnal, the str5 ap5 gun. my list doesn't have to much anti infantry without the stealth suits anyway, and the ablitiy to infiltrate and can't really be targeted above 36" really adds survivability.

Crisis Suits can be armed with BC too. Also, Tau don't really lack S5 AP5. The weapons they lack are those which only the Crisis Suits can take - Plasmas (of course you don't put these on broadsides), and Missile Pods.

Also, it's not like your weapons are long ranged enough for that stealth to be useful?

Personally when I'm going to run stealths it's going to be in squads of 3-6 with maxed out drones and a markerlight.

Infiltrate onto an objective, stealth field goodness and 6-14 shield drones is fairly resilient

I'd be tempted to say run less hounds and more regular kroot.
But apart from the stealths it seems a fairly standardish variant-of-the-theme type thing.

@OzTeG8ndPwRfl.. Ever in the north east of the states Im down for a game!

Now that I think of it I haven't lost a game with this list. I''ve played my friends who play nids, chaos marines, newcrons, 2 eldar and a dark eldar. Granted some of my friends have multiple armies so I'm playing the same player but the difference in armies are big. However I have yet to take it to a tournament since its going to be a lil expensive to collect everything and that's also the reason for no bat reps..

And about the stealth suits, even though the target may be within their short range weapons, it doesn't mean that the entire army is.

But I do agree that plasma is a lacking weapon for tau, and much needed one. Maybe replace the stealth suits for some more plasma shots. I just feel that tau lists lately are very bland and similiar. Guess its just the age of the dex creeping up..

but thanks for the input. Might try and squeeze in a couple phirannas.. any ideas for loadouts?

For Piranah? Why sure, they are my favorite vehicle in the Tau codex after all. Usually I field them with Burst Cannons only, and always individually. Sometimes I give them Flechett, this works great against armies that you know will melee them. They are great because they are often ignored, and 5 shots of S 5 on rear armor kills more vehicles then you wold think. I have taken down many a Wave Serpent and Battle Wagon with these 60 point beauties.