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Greetings, everyone!

This is my first post on Dakka, and I'd like to share my first army list I've made in years. I've never been able to play much 40k since joining the Air Force, but it's pretty chill here and I'm excited to try 6th edition. Plus, a co-worker sold me a lot of Tau on the cheap!

The list as follows:

Tau Expeditionary Force Recon 1497pts

HQ 105pts
XV8 Battlesuit Shas'el 'Fireknife' Pattern 105pts
Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle, HW-Blacksun Filter,
HW-Drone Controller, HW-Multi-Tracker, Shield Drone

Elite 462pts
XV8 Battlesuit Shas'ui 'Fireknife' Pattern x 3 186pts
Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle, Multi-Tracker

XV8 Battlesuit Shas'ui 'Fireknife' Pattern x 3 186pts
Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle, Multi-Tracker

XV25 Stealthsuit Shas'ui x 3 90pts
Burst Cannon

Troops 340pts
Fire Warrior Shas'la x 9 90pts
Pulse Rifle
Devilfish Troop Carrier 80pts
Burst Cannon, Gun Drone x 2

Fire Warrior Shas'la x 9 90pts
Pulse Rifle
Devilfish Troop Carrier 80pts
Burst Cannon, Gun Drone x 2

Fast Attack 120pts
Pathfinder Tetra x 2 120pts
High-Intensity Markerlight, TL-Pulse Rifle, Targeting Array, Target Lock

Heavy Support 470pts
XV88 Broadside Battlesuit Shas'ui x 2 160pts
TL-Railgun, TL-Smart Missile System, Targeting Array

XV88 Broadside Battlesuit Shas'ui x 2 160pts
TL-Railgun, TL-Smart Missile System, Targeting Array

Hammerhead Gunship 150pts
Railgun, Burst Cannon x 2


I'm toying with the notion of removing the Stealthsuits for more Fire Warriors, or perhaps Commander O'Ra'Lai as my HQ. It's been a few years since I've played, so.. any and all suggestions welcome.

I really like this list. The way I see it, any changes you make should reflect your personal preferences and play style more than any "rules" you should follow. One thing to consider is that nightfight is much more common in 6th edition and it might warrant you finding some points for BSFs on your broadsides and fireknifes.

As for personal preferences, I used to be a fire knife man. When I magentized my suits, I didn't bother with 3 of them because I "knew" i would want fire knifes and I glued those badboys forever as fireknifes. Now, I've moved to the camp of specialization. There is an age old debate about specialized crisis suits versus generals. You can't go wrong with fireknifes, but you may could go more right.

I roll one squad of Helios's specifically to vehicle and MEQ/TEQ hunt. With the adjustments to power weapons, I expect to see more TEQs and these guys should see more action. I have yet to play enough to tell if these guys will be more suicide than usual with increased mobility of rapid fire and snapfire shots. I also roll one squad of Deathrains with flamers. The flamer gives them some anti-horde and now some serious overwatch deterrents. I feel like this splits my fireknifes nicely.

Just some food for thought. Also, the stealth suits might turn out to be a nice bonus with their now-amazing cover saves. Good luck and happy hunting.

Thanks for the input! I originally thought all Helios suits, now all Fireknife.. perhaps one suit team should be Helios. I'll definitely be magnetizing my suits so that I can prepare for horde or mech as needed.

I'd like to know more about Commander O'Ra'Lai's effectiveness, but I haven't read about anyone fielding him. I've been reading almost unanimous love for Pathfinder Tetras, however, so I'm eager to see how capable they are. I may drop the Targeting Arrays on the Broadsides to spread more Blacksun Filters across the army, since they already have TL. Not sure what I'd do with the leftover points, though.

I am pretty new to 40k, so take my advice with a pinch of salt, but I would make a few little changes, up to you though.

1. I would run firewarriors in teams like this:
Firewarrior x9, Shas'Ui Team Leader with a Bonding Knife 105pts

2. I also like my devilfish like this :
Devilfish - Distruption Pod - 85, with gun drones.

Finally, maybe you can help explain your Broadside teams, I was reccomended this setup :

Broadside Battlesuit x2 - 210pts
-Team Leader, ASS, HWMT, HWTL, HWDC + 2 SDs, Bonding
-ASS

Iamtidal wrote:I am pretty new to 40k, so take my advice with a pinch of salt, but I would make a few little changes, up to you though.

1. I would run firewarriors in teams like this:
Firewarrior x9, Shas'Ui Team Leader with a Bonding Knife 105pts

2. I also like my devilfish like this :
Devilfish - Distruption Pod - 85, with gun drones.

Finally, maybe you can help explain your Broadside teams, I was reccomended this setup :

Broadside Battlesuit x2 - 210pts
-Team Leader, ASS, HWMT, HWTL, HWDC + 2 SDs, Bonding
-ASS

A 2 man Broadside team with 2 drones doesn't need a Bonding Knife as they'll never be below 25% strength when trying to regroup, so can roll with normal leadership.

As for Fire Warriors with Bonding Knives, a 9 man team will only use it when there's only 2 members of the original squad left, by which point they're very likely to be wiped next turn anyway. It's only 5 points so it's your call.

Oh and OP, the Smart Missile System isn't twin-linked on Broadsides (or any vehicles for that matter).

Whoop, my bad about the TL Smart Missiles. I've been reading/hearing that bonding knives aren't all that worthwhile nowadays unless I'm going troop-heavy, but I'll have to play some more games to really see for sure.

The Disruption Pod has also been rendered somewhat useless per 6th edition rules, as you can get a 5+ Jink save just by moving the Devilfish, even so much as a tap. I don't think it's currently worth the points considering other options.

With a team leader and A.S.S. the Broadsides are starting to get a little point-beefy, but I can see the value in Shield Drones. The reason I have a Hammerhead instead of another team of Broadsides, or giving them A.S.S., is so that the Broadsides can be the mostly-stationary heavy-hitters, while the Hammerhead can respond to shifting threats.

EBZeros wrote:XV8 Battlesuit Shas'el 'Fireknife' Pattern 105pts
Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle, HW-Blacksun Filter,
HW-Drone Controller, HW-Multi-Tracker, Shield Drone

Throw in the Target Array to keep Ballistic Skill 5

EBZeros wrote:Fire Warrior Shas'la x 9 90pts

Read up on what defensive grenades do in the RB, specifically photons. They're worth taking for FWs now.

EBZeros wrote:
Fast Attack 120pts
Pathfinder Tetra x 2 120pts
High-Intensity Markerlight, TL-Pulse Rifle, Targeting Array, Target Lock

Target Locks have been FAQed out. They don't exist. My bad, this is the *Battle Suit* TL
on page 28, not the vehicle one. Keep it.

EBZeros wrote: Hammerhead Gunship 150pts
Railgun, Burst Cannon x 2

Give it the MT to Move and Shoot like a Fast Vehicle.

EBZeros wrote:I'm toying with the notion of removing the Stealthsuits for more Fire Warriors, or perhaps Commander O'Ra'Lai as my HQ. It's been a few years since I've played, so.. any and all suggestions welcome.

For now, either *add* 3 stealths to max the unit or maybe trade 'em out for some Team Leader upgrades, and then Target Arrays, spreading your 6 FKs from two trios to three pairs of suits.

Welcome back to the hobby.

Brothererekose wrote:

EBZeros wrote:
Fast Attack 120pts
Pathfinder Tetra x 2 120pts
High-Intensity Markerlight, TL-Pulse Rifle, Targeting Array, Target Lock

Target Locks have been FAQed out. They don't exist.

They still exist for Vehicles.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Brothererekose wrote:

EBZeros wrote: Hammerhead Gunship 150pts
Railgun, Burst Cannon x 2

Give it the MT to Move and Shoot like a Fast Vehicle.

And a Target Lock so you don't have to fire the Burst Cannons at the same thing you're Railgunning.

If you're putting a Solid Shot through an AV12 vehicle then you don't want to waste your 6 S5 shots on said vehicle as well.

First I want to say that I really appreciate everyone's input. It's been a long while, and even when I first started playing WH40k, I didn't play a whole lot. I'm hoping to change that.

Secondly, I've taken all of your comments into consideration and come up with an updated list. If you would be so kind, I would again appreciate any comments/critiques you may have.

Tau Expeditionary Force Recon 1501pts


HQ 115pts
XV8 Battlesuit Shas'el 'Fireknife' Pattern 115pts
Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle, Targeting Array, HW-Blacksun Filter,
HW-Drone Controller, HW-Multi-Tracker, Shield Drone

Elite 451pts
XV8 Battlesuit Shas'ui Team Leader 'Fireknife' Pattern 70pts
Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle, Multi-Tracker, HW-Blacksun Filter
XV8 Battlesuit Shas'ui 'Fireknife' Pattern x 2 124pts
Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle, Multi-Tracker

XV8 Battlesuit Shas'ui Team Leader 'Deathrain' Pattern 61pts
TL-Missile Pod, Targeting Array, HW-Blacksun Filter
XV8 Battlesuit Shas'ui 'Deathrain' Pattern x 2 106pts
TL-Missile Pod, Targeting Array

XV25 Stealthsuit Shas'ui x 3 90pts
Burst Cannon

Troops 358pts
Fire Warrior Shas'la x 9 99pts
Pulse Rifle, Photon Grenades
Devilfish Troop Carrier 80pts
Burst Cannon, Gun Drone x 2

Fire Warrior Shas'la x 9 99pts
Pulse Rifle, Photon Grenades
Devilfish Troop Carrier 80pts
Burst Cannon, Gun Drone x 2

Fast Attack 120pts
Pathfinder Tetra x 2 120pts
High-Intensity Markerlight, TL-Pulse Rifle, Targeting Array, Target Lock

Heavy Support 457pts
XV88 Broadside Battlesuit Shas'ui x 2 146pts
TL-Railgun, TL-Smart Missile System, Blacksun Filter

XV88 Broadside Battlesuit Shas'ui x 2 146pts
TL-Railgun, TL-Smart Missile System, Blacksun Filter

Hammerhead Gunship 165pts
Railgun, Burst Cannon x 2, Multi-Tracker, Target Lock

Like A Town Called Malus said, the Broadside's SMS isn't twin linked. One other thought is to be sure others will be okay with you playing with Tetra's. I don't play ForgeWorld stuff mostly because I am poor but also, the idea of opponents objecting to them makes me hesitant. Same thing with the characters as well.

Also, I don't like defensive grenades. Maybe they will be worth it for objective holding but chances are if anything is close enough for those to be useful, you're going to be assaulted. And if that happens you're done. I'd rather use the points to kill the guys before I need the grenades.

BlueRift wrote:Like A Town Called Malus said, the Broadside's SMS isn't twin linked.

Correct.

BlueRift wrote:Also, I don't like defensive grenades. Maybe they will be worth it for objective holding but chances are if anything is close enough for those to be useful, you're going to be assaulted. And if that happens you're done. I'd rather use the points to kill the guys before I need the grenades.

Give 'defensive grenades' a reread in the RB. 6e made photons kinda special for FW Cover Saves. Not great, but it gave me some pause in rethinking them.

EBZeros,
Looks good. Play it. Go a buncha games before you do any tweaking. One thing I learned throughout 4e & 5e, is to build a list and play it a good 10 or so times to learn its nuances. Even if it's gonna be 10 losses.

After that, maybe an adjustment, you know, like a power armored ally.