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 was thinking the overlap of Tau and Ork works really well. You can make a 100% all infantry based force for target saturation purposes yet still able to handle every threat. Broadsides really shore up Ork's weakness and Boyz + Lootas really shore up Tau weaknesses. The only problem with this list is I can't fit as many boyz as I would like into the list, but I cant have everything. I also don't like the way I've configured the Crisis Suit teams without drones, but fitting in allies at 1250 makes me lack the points I really need to do everything I want. Nob Warbikers would work really well here too, but I don't think this is high enough points values for a squad like that.


HQ:
Commander (117)
-Shas'el, PR, MP, MT, HW DC, 2x Shield Drones

Elites:
Crisis Team (62)
-Shas'ui w/ PR, MP, MT
Crisis Team (62)
-Shas'ui w/ PR, MP, MT
Crisis Team (62)
-Shas'ui w/ PR, MP, MT

Troops:
Fire Warrior Team (60)
-6x Fire Warriors
Fire Warrior Team (60)
-6x Fire Warriors

Heavy Support:
Broadside Team (198)
-Team Leader w/ ASS, HW BSF, HW DC, 2x Shield Drones
Broadside Team (85)
-Shas'ui w/ DC, 1x Shield Drone
Broadside Team (85)
-Shas'ui w/ DC, 1x Shield Drone


Orc Allies:
HQ:
Big Mek (85)
-KFF

Elites:
Lootas (225)
-15x Deffguns

Troops:
Boyz (148)
-23 Boyz, 2x Big Shootas

Ran up against a guy playing Tau with Ork allies in the NOVA Open GT. Worked pretty well - had a big 30 boyz team and a 20 Kroot / 10 Hounds blob as well. MSU FWs on foot to hold the back objectives, and just bumrushed the the bigger mobs forward to objectives.

I doubt you need 4 Broadsides at 1250 points... that's 170pts you could put to other uses. In addition, while Fireknives are great generalists, I've gotten a lot of use out of more specialized teams instead.

If you drop the 2 single Broadsides, you could run something like:

HQ: Fireknife
2 x Firestorm, including Team Lead with BSF (108 pts)
2 x Bladestorm (116 pts)
2 x Deathrain, including Team Lead with BSF (102 pts)

That should leave you 30 points left over. I'm not familiar with Lootas, but Tau shooting is far better than Ork shooting IMO. Use the ally slots for the things Tau can't provide - masses of fearless (mob rule) infantry to hold down objectives. 2 big Boyz mobs will go a lot farther I think... dropping the Lootas for a second mob, getting Nobz for both and some bosspoles, and you've got a helluva list. If you've got any points left over, you could add in more FWs for long range fire support.

Lootas are the best shooty in the game imo, and they also work great versus most fliers as well. I definitely like the more specialized loadouts, but i'm thinking I need at least 3 broadsides, and I put in a 4th because lootas are far better at "missile pods" than crisis suits. The issue is one big squad cant split its fire. I chose fireknives because I need the ap1-2 to get through armored units, but perhaps I should just go with sunforges as they fit that role better.

If the Boyz are bubble wrapping the Tau I would suggest adding a Nob w/ Power Klaw and a Boss Pole. This would allow you to accept a challenge w the nob rather than lose the Big Mek to some Chaplin or some Blood Angel nonsense. That can keep the BM safe and sound in the rear. It'd be worth losing a Crisis Suit or 4 Shield Drones even. They are THE powerhouse of the Codex.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Keep the Lootas.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
You can pump out up to 45 Str 7 shots in a turn for a little over 200 pts.

If you're using Lootas to substitute for missile pods, great. I don't use them so I can't really comment on their performance.

I've not needed mass AP 1/2 for killing 2+ saves; mass FWs has always done the job just fine so far. That said, they're not very efficient at it, and it relies a lot on dice variance.

If you want TEQ killers, then Helios are the way to go - Fusion / Plasma / Multitracker. Bladestorms (PR/BC/MT) wreck MEQs like no tomorrow. Smart opponents though will have their troops in cover as much as possible, and won't be shy about sending them to ground to get 3+ cover saves.

Which is part of why I feel like mass fires tends to do the job better. When you rely on AP1/2 to take out 2+ or 3+ saves, and the punks drop on their yellow bellies, then you've spent a lot of points for shots that don't work as advertised anymore.

I'm not really sure you need a whole lot of Broadsides, personally, but that's probably because I have a pathological aversion to including railguns in my lists. That said, I've not run into a situation where deep striking Crisis with Fusion / Plasma / Missiles hadn't served well.

Besides, it's amusing as hell when your opponent rushes forward, expecting the typical Tau gunline approach, and you drop 10+ Crisis behind his lines and nuke the snot out of him. Never gets old.

Well with the Orks in the list, I think that gives me a bunch more mass of fire than just firewarriors. Granted it's S4 instead of S5, but it's still a lot. Overall I think Helios are the suits that really fill the gap in the list I need. Here's a new list with the Helios. It's one point overbudget, but I don't know what to cut. Perhaps a BSF for a broadside.

HQ:
Commander (117)
-Shas'el, PR, FB, MT, HW DC, 2x Shield Drones

Elites:
Crisis Team (169)
-Shas'ui Team Leader w/ PR, FB, TA, HW MT, HW DC, 2x Shield Drones
-Shas'ui w/ PR, FB, MT
Crisis Team (124)
-2x Shas'ui w/ PR, FB, MT

Troops:
Fire Warrior Team (60)
-6x Fire Warriors
Fire Warrior Team (60)
-6x Fire Warriors

Heavy Support:
Broadside Team (103)
-Shas'ui Team Leader w/ ASS, HW BSF, HW DC, 1x Shield Drone
Broadside Team (90)
-Shas'ui Team Leader w/ DC, 1x Shield Drone
Broadside Team (85)
-Shas'ui w/ DC, 1x Shield Drone


Orc Allies:
HQ:
Big Mek (85)
-KFF

Elites:
Lootas (225)
-15x Deffguns

Troops:
Boyz (130)
-20 Boyz, 2x Big Shootas

Looks good to me. I'm leery of the 2 min sized FW squads, but at 1250 there's not much you can do about that really.

I'd consider squading up the two solo Helios, and joining your Shas'el to them during deployment. That gives you 2 Helios teams with shield drones to play with.

If you're looking to shave points, I think dropping a Big Shoota is an easy fix. You could also pretty easily squad up some of the Broadsides and play with BSF / drone allocation.

Gotcha. I do like having Shield Drones with every one of my squads. I grouped them up and took off a BSF to fit the points.

Would I be better served turning one squad into a fireknife instead of having 2 helios? Still, with so much MEQ I'm thinking the Helios will really come in handy. The only downside is I don't have pathfinders to deal with pesky cover saves.