Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I just started playing Warhammer again both fantasy and 40k, after not playing for 3 years. And i am looking for tips for my Army.
My collection is composed of

2 Firewarrior teams with gundrones, 24 FWs and 4 drones
1 Squad of 16 Kroot carnivores
2 broadside battlesuits with SMS
1 Vespid stingwing squad of 5 VS and one SL
1 Hammerhead with Drones and RG
7 pathfinders with 3 with railrifles and one Shas Ui and a SD
1 Sniper drone team.
1 Piranha.

I also played 2 combat patrol battles against a Ork player and got one draw and the other one.
in the two battles i used two different Lists.

The one that i lost with was composed of
1 FW squad with Emp and photon grenades and two Gn
1 KC Squad of 16
1 broadside battlesuit with SMS and shield generator i also used targeting array and target lock which i now think is illegal

When i got the draw i used
1 Squad of FW numbered 16 with 2 GD
1 KC squad numbered 14
1 broadside with targeting arrey and target lock and SMS
1 piranha with fusion blaster.

the point value for the scenarios was 400, and were annihilation.

So my first question is what should i get next for my Tau except a commander and crisis battlesuits.
my other question is a plead for advise on Tau vs Orks tactics in 1000 - 1500 - 2000 point games.

Thanks in advance.

A few thoughts, given your available models:

1) In bigger games, against fast melee opponents like orks, your piranha becomes a suicide blocker. Get the piranha up there as fast as possible, give it flechette dischargers, and use it to clog up a vital channel between impassable terrain. If it slows down the advance of a trukk or two, then it's done a good job. If Kill Points aren't an issue, disembark the drones to objective deny.

2) In 5th, sniper drones were almost useful against ork trukk armies, because target locks let you take shots at multiple trukks and glances could immobilize. Now, I'm not sure how useful they will be, but they should be on anti-trukk duty.

3) Hammerhead submunitions vs. orks = win. Don't forget that you can use the submunitions, like I did the first time I played my hammerhaed against massed infantry. Killing a Nob with the solid slug round is entertaining, but a bit inefficient given how many other Nobs there are likely to need killing.

4) Vespids will struggle to be useful against orks. Too few shots to thin the hordes, and their reasonable AP value is wasted most of the time. If you can swap them out, that may be good. (Note: I actually sort of*like* Vespid against marines. Alas, that's about the only time.)

5) Your kroot can either be used to bubblewrap your more fragile units or to outflank. Against assaulty armies, bubblewrapping (using them as meatshields for firewarriors, for example) may be the right choice.

6) Consider fielding the pathfinds as a small group of four, with no rail rifles. Now with split fire rules superseding target locks, it's probably best just to focus on getting the ML hits out of that expensive (but fragile) squad.

7) Your broadsides will be useful in this fight. Railguns for stopping battlewagons and trukks, then sms for killing disembarked orks. Protect them with your kroot bubble.

I'm sure other folks have alot of suggestions as well. I play both Orks and Tau, so I'm interested in how the matchup turns out.

Firstly read the tau FAQ on the games workshop website.
http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m2420320a_Tau_Empire_6th_Ed_V1.pdf

Its a rather large list of changes, considering the tau codex is now 2 edition out of date.

The biggest issue that target locks are now not allowed for some strange reason. Meaning you cant split fire, so rail rifle pathfinders are a bit of a waste in my opinion. I would take the rail rifle models plus a single pathfinder with a markerlight, and use it as a second sniper team, since they have the exact same stats and equipment pretty much.

Against orks, most of your shooting can reliably disable trukks, shoot the ones that get too close, mark the boys that come out of them, and then shoot them with submunition rounds and fire warriors.

With kroot, its pretty vital they get the charge vs orks aswell, as that +1 attack per model is the difference between life and death when fighting an enemy like orks, as any ork you dont kill will hit you back. Hard. and kroot are squishy.

In regards as to what to get, I would suggest if you think you're up to it, buy some magnets with your crisis suits. Its a brilliant way to save money and change your weapons. This tutorial here is rather good http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/390495.page#3203654
Also get another broadside, they're brilliant.

With your commander, I personally prefer Shas'o, while alot of people say the 25 points less for the shas'el is better, I diagree. Additional wound, leadership, BS, WS, and A is so worth it in my opinion. But each to their own.
Bodyguards generally arent worth it, I used to take bodyguards for years, but they get expensive fast, and a 3 man elite crisis team can put out more damage while not being quite as durable, join the commander to these instead.

Also, bonding knives and shield drones should be taken with all battlesuit team leaders and commanders. (IMO anyway)

Widmanovskij wrote:I just started playing Warhammer again both fantasy and 40k, after not playing for 3 years. And i am looking for tips for my Army.
My collection is composed of

2 Firewarrior teams with gundrones, 24 FWs and 4 drones
1 Squad of 16 Kroot carnivores
2 broadside battlesuits with SMS
1 Vespid stingwing squad of 5 VS and one SL
1 Hammerhead with Drones and RG
7 pathfinders with 3 with railrifles and one Shas Ui and a SD
1 Sniper drone team.
1 Piranha.

I'll just mention what you need more of, after that list building is pretty simple.

Your firewarriors are fine, don't give them gun drones but make sure you have a shas'ui with hardwired black sun filter in each unit, trust me.
Getting 4 more kroot, or 3 more kroot and a shaper to round out the kroot
You need another broadside, and one designated as a team leader for another hardwired black sun filter, they also should get 1 shield drone each, so model them if possible.
If you are going to use vespid, you need 5 more so you can run 10 plus strain leader
Hammerheads need a railgun and burst cannons, don't model anything else.
Pathfinders don't use rail rifles well, it hurts them overall, instead just use 8 pathfinders with a leader, also blacksun in him.
Sniper drone teams are meh. If you are going to use them, use 3 teams to fill the FOC slot, otherwise leave at home.
A piranha needs a fusion blaster on the front to be worth anything, if he does he's good, however I wouldn't buy more piranhas just yet, but if you really wan them 4 more to round out the squad is good.

I would split the fire warriors into 4 groups of 6 with no drones

or 3 groups of 8 if youre getting black sun filter but I dont recommend it on them (also no drones)

Thanks for the help. i really appreciate it.
I am planning to have two teams of Crisis battlesuits in bigger battles, one anti infantry and one for anti vehicle.
Composed of 2- 3 suits each.
would this be a good idea or would it be useless/overkill/inefficent or chessy.

Ps, What is the opinion on the stealth suits.
I have never used infiltrating squads.

Widmanovskij wrote:Thanks for the help. i really appreciate it.
I am planning to have two teams of Crisis battlesuits in bigger battles, one anti infantry and one for anti vehicle.
Composed of 2- 3 suits each.
would this be a good idea or would it be useless/overkill/inefficent or chessy.

Ps, What is the opinion on the stealth suits.
I have never used infiltrating squads.

Battlesuits work well in teams of 2-3, make sure they have 2 shield drones to keep them alive.
Generally speaking the safest way to run battlesuits is plasma/missile, while plasma, fusion works best on HQ's with bodyguards.
A lone HQ with two shield drones and an airbursting frag rifle is an excellent horde killer.

As for stealth suits, they work well but are not a beginner unit. Their firepower is very strong, yet they fight for position among your battlesuits. If you are taking just 1 unit of fire warriors and 1 unit of kroot, or very small squads of fire warriors/kroot, I would suggest some stealth suits with gun drones and 2 marker drones (6 stealth suits, 10 gun drones, 2 marker drones) to provide a torrent of fire to deal with enemy hordes. Normally you infiltrate them in or deploy them outside of the enemies assault range but in range to shoot, then simply jump forward in range, unload, then jump back that 2d6 and rinse and repeate. The marker drones are there to provide the ballistic skill upgrades, and the whole unit firing at ballistic skill 5 is something that strikes terror into the enemy. 10 BS 4 twin linked pulse carbines plus 18 BS 5 burst cannon shots from a unit that will not be in melee any time soon.

I am a big fan of the stealh suit and lots of drones unit. I ran one on the weekend and had my HQ join it. It was a real mess of drones with the QG bring two shield drones to the unit as well. 3+ armor saves, 2x 4+ invul and 4+ cover saves in the open. And lots of dakka.

Deepstriking twin-linked flamers can be fun against the Ork horde and now we get the 2d6 move after deepstrike they have a better chance of survival.

If you can take out his trukks and wagons early with railguns and misslepods all you need to do is kite his foot sloggers around the board. Fire warriors can move and shoot now so that is a win. Just stay out of CC at all costs and when it is looking unavoidable, feed those orks a unit you can afford to lose ie cheap kroot, disembaked gun drones.

Oh and if your broadside/battlesuits are in teams of four (including drones) there is no need for a bonding knife becuase they can't fall below 25%.