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I thought I read the answer to my question in a faq or something but I can't find what I'm looking for in the forum or the faq from GW.

When an ethereal is killed every unit of Tau on the tabletop must make a Morale check at the start of their next turn . . .. In addition, every Tau that takes the test will benefit from the Preferred Enemy universal special rule with the enemy as their preferred enemy.

My question is with so many different kinds of preferred enemies, what is preferred? Is it all of your opponent's army? If they have allies is it just the race of the unit that killed the ethereal? If you were playing doubles would it be both of the opponents' armies?

If nothing is stated, it means everyone else.

"The enemy" would cover anyone you are fighting against.
How can GW have worked this for so many years and still be so bad at being consistent. How hard would it be to say they gain "Preferred Enemy (everyone)"

Purifier wrote:How can GW have worked this for so many years and still be so bad at being consistent. How hard would it be to say they gain "Preferred Enemy (everyone)"

Is that really necessary? They gain preferred enemy against the enemy army. That seems fairly clear to me.

what if I have my etheral jump off a building and die from impact falling?

Do I go perferred enemy myself?

No. Preferred enemy applies to the enemy, not to whatever kills the Ethereal.

Oh well still good I guess, just hope guys don't run off the board but so would be worth it to have the etheral kill himself for the greater good!

Now, is there any other good ways to kill the guy besides depending on the enemy?

'Voluntarily' leaping him off the battlements of a tall fortification seems like your most reliable way to off your HQ if you spent the points on a bastion or fortress of redemption. (or brought one as neutral terrain?) Apart from that bring some lethal terrain and deploy him in it perhaps, though that would require your opponents to agree on the type of terrain there too.

The old way typically works, if not necessarily the first turn. (ie: rush him unsupported at your enemy lines)

sudojoe wrote:what if I have my etheral jump off a building and die from impact falling?

Do I go perferred enemy myself?

you actually gain preferred enemy against gravity =P


OT, kiling your ethereal off isn't exactly the most sound of plans, since with a mediocre leadership and few ways to boost it (one of which you are killing off), At least half your units are going to be high-tailing it away from the battlefield.

If you really wanted to, you could use an Aura of Decay chaos sorceror, and then take 5 Plagues as a cheap tough scorer. Kill the Ethereal with that, and then have preferred enemy. Also, since you can now always regroup, falling back isnt too bad.

As horrifically unfluffy as it seems, I love the idea of voluntarily throwing your Ethereal from a great height. I'm gonna take to calling them "Ethe-freefalls" from now on.

Just take 2 ethereals, kill one off (not your warlord) and have the other give everyone re-rolls to their morale checks. 50 points for army wide PE

Well, you have to play at 2k and up points then, because you are required by the codex to take one crisis suit commander

Bugs_N_Orks wrote:Just take 2 ethereals, kill one off (not your warlord) and have the other give everyone re-rolls to their morale checks. 50 points for army wide PE

And an illegal list without a crisis commander, which doesn't suck btw.

insaniak wrote:

Purifier wrote:How can GW have worked this for so many years and still be so bad at being consistent. How hard would it be to say they gain "Preferred Enemy (everyone)"

Is that really necessary? They gain preferred enemy against the enemy army. That seems fairly clear to me.

Are you asking if consistancy in naming is really necessary? In a game like this?
Yes. Yes it is.

But more to the point, GW should know that by now.

Just take shadowsun and pile everyone near her control drone. The take the leap of faith. ld10 for all.

Purifier wrote:Are you asking if consistancy in naming is really necessary? In a game like this?

No, I'm asking if it's necessary for them to specify the enemy in the special rule's name when the special rule applies to the entire enemy army.