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This is my first list. Please go easy.

HQ
Commander Shas'o
Plasma Rifle
Missle Pod
Target Lock
Battle Gear: Hard-wired Drone Controller , 2 Marker Drones (

Elite
3 XV8 Crisis Battlesuit
Target Lock
Missle Pod
Plasma Rifle
3 Stealth Suits
1 Leader
2 Marker Drones
3 Stealth Suits
1 Leader
2 Marker Drones

Troops
12 Fire Warriors
12 Fire Warriors
With Devilfish , Smart Missles
Upgrades Flechette Discharger , Target Lock , Blacksun
12 Fire Warriors
With Devilfish , Smart Missles
Upgrades Flechette Discharger, Target Lock , Blacksun
Total

HeavySupport
1 VX8 Broadside Suit
Target Lock
1 Hammerhead Gunship
Primary Railgun
Secondary Burst Cannons


Thoughts? This is my first army I've made as a new player, so any advice would be awesome.

Welcome to the greater good! First off, make sure that your crisis suits have multi-trackers. Reason being that without them, you can only fire one weapon per turn. Also, why do you have target locks on everything? I understand the need to sometimes be able to split fire, but if you're splitting fire from every model in a unit then you'll never reliably kill anything. For my last piece of general advice I would advise you take down the individual point costs of weapons and upgrades from units; it can cause a lot of problems as it infringes upon GW copyright of their property.

Now for some specific advice on your list. You picked a Shas'o for your HQ. The only benefit, to me at least, of a Shas'o over a Shas'el is the increased BS. You can have the same suit with the same efficiency by fielding an El with PR, MP, TA, and HWMT. Not only is it the same effectiveness, it is also 15 points cheaper IIRC (don't have my codex on hand).

Your crisis suits don't have a single MT on any of them. Do you have a reason for this or were you unclear on the function of a MT? I would put a MT on every suit in the unit. If you want to be able to split fire, upgrade one suit to a TL and then hardwire either the TL or the MT. I haven't tried stealth suits yet in 6th, but I didn't have much luck with them in 5th. However, I would probably make them one unit and drop the marker drones. The drones are too expensive and count as heavy so you can't move and shoot them unless you snap fire. By combining the stealth suits into one unit, this opens up an elite slot for your FOC. I would then split your unit of 3 crisis suits into a unit of 2 and then a single suit to join your HQ too. This gives you more flexibility to your list by allowing you more targets for your enemy to shoot at and gives you more offensive options by having 2 units of equal fire power.

If you're going to run the warfish loadout on your transports, go all out. Give the devilfish SMS, TA, DP, MT and use it as a gun boat for more offensive firepower. I like running full squads of FW but try splitting them up to 4 units of 9. It's the same amount of guys but gives you one more scoring unit and, again, will force your opponent to split his fire.

Finally, your heavy support. Your hammerhead needs DP and MT. These two upgrades help increase your tanks survivability and its offensive capabilities as the MT makes it more mobile. Why does your broadside have a TL if it's a unit of 1? I would also get it at least 1 shield drone, as any S8+ weapons your opponent has will insta-kill it.

Overall your list isn't too bad, just a few things that can be tweaked and streamlined to make it more efficient. Give the codex another read through and search the forums for information on Tau tactics. Sorry for such a long response, but I hope this helps. Again, welcome to the greater good!

Good morning and welcome to The Greater Good

Just going down a fast list. I can talk much more through an instant messenger if you would like.

Overall, a shas'el is better cost wise.
I would not put marker drones on the commander. It limits his movement and are very overpriced. If you want markerlights, look into tetras or pathfinders
No use of a commander to have a target lock unless he has a retinue.

Battlesuits:
2 target locks are needed at any given time for the other two can choose to shoot at a different target than the "initial" target for the suit without a target lock.
----- I personally would only put one or none on them though. What ever you shoot at you want destroyed, and 4 rockets at BS 3 will not do that.
Again, marker drones will limit your movement, i would not use. these 4 markerlights already can give you 5 markerlights in a pathfinder squad

Stealth suits are very cool in a large cloud . Again, soo many points in marker drones instead of pathfinders for less than half the cost per markerlight (30 for a drone and 12 for a pathfinder)

Firewarriors: Good. Run either 9 or 12 man squads

Devilfish. USE DISRUPTION PODS! loose the blacksun filter. The low range of the burst cannon is pointless for nightfire and smart missiles already negate nightfight

broadside: run two sheild drones. 2+/4+ is hard to take down and help keep the rail alive. ASS helps for menuverability or Targeting array helps for making sure you hit your target.
Railhead.- this one you want DISRUPTION PODS! also blacksun filter helps due to long range.

All in all. Drop the marker drones and add in pathfinders (easy to use FW's with carbines since all your other FW's will have pulse rifles). The devilfish for your firewarriors can be sued for the pathfinders and just have the FW's hijack the Devilfish.

Let me know if you want to talk via instant messenger for ease.

hope this helps,
Travis Walthall

3 Recommendations.

1. Do not post individual costs as that’s against the rules.

2. Needs more rail guns.

3. Protect your stuff with shield drones.

Otherwise I have a feeling your mistaking TL for targeting arrays. Not sure.
As others have stated, the O upgrade for your commander is inefficient as you can get essentially the same thing by giving an El a Targeting array and a drone (get the shield drone)

If you can convert up some fire warriors into pathfinders instead of using marker drones. They will die a lot to focused fire as a lot people hate the marker lights (they make great bait units)

Thanks everyone for their advice. I look forward to my newly revamped army fighting for the Greater Good

I'll go over them section by section.

Yes, I did misunderstand Multi Tracker and Target Lock. :\ noob.

I realized that all the marker drones were very expensive, and that pathfinders are just as good and cheaper than the drones (thanks to who ever said that )



HQ
Commander Shas'el
Missle Pod
Plasma Rifle
Multi Tracker
Upgrades: Hard wire drone controller, shield drone
1 Bodyguard VX8 Crisis
Missile Pod
Plasma Rifle
Multi Tracker
Upgrades: Hard wire drone controller, shield drone
]Shas'o was more expensive and his BS was better, changing to Shas'el was much cheaper. Even with the upgrades. I also gave him a bodyguard, and all of the Crisis suits have the same fire power. Thus, breaking up the army for more efficiency
Elites
2 XV8 Crisis Battle Suits
Multi Tracker
Missile Pod
Multi Tracker
Upgrades: Hard Wire drone controller, shield drones
3 Stealth Suits
1 leader
Upgrades: Hard wire drone controller, marker drone
Cut back a squad of Stealth Suits and made it one. Still kept the marker drone here, though.
Troops
9 Fire Warriors
9 Fire Warriors
9 Fire Warriors
With Devilfish and Smart Missiles
Upgrades: Disruption pod, flechette discharger, Multi Tracker, targeting array
9 Fire Warriors
With Devilfish and Smart Missiles
Upgrades, Disruption pod , flechette discharger , multi tracker , targeting array
More break up of army. I love that idea. thanks for advice! Devilfish are tricked out even more.
Fast attack
6 Pathfinders
1 leader
hard wired drone controller, gun drone
Cheap markerlights. I had some points leftover and just used them up here. in case ur wondering about gun drone
Heavy Support
2 XV8 Broadside Battlesuits
Multi Tracker
Upgrades: Hard-wired drone controller , 2 Shield Drones (1 per suit)
1 Hammerhead Gunship
Primary: Rail Gun
Secondary: Burst Cannons
More railguns. Plus, im protecting the suits more with shields

How is it now? I really thank you guys for the advice you've given me.

Looks better, but consider that bodyguards are more expensive than regular crisis suits and only gain 1 ws and the ability to pick wargear. Make your bodyguard a regular crisis suit and just have your commander group up with him (he can join any unit if he doesn't have bodyguards).

You can upgrade one stealth suit to a leader and then buy him a markerlight for less cost than a markerlight drone.

For that matter you could also make a leader in each of your fw teams and buy them markerlights too, but this has drawbacks as well as advantages. You'll be paying a little more per marker light (than pathfinders) and it will make your fw team static in that you can't move and shoot your markerlight since it's heavy. Since it's not a networked markerlight the same unit can't benefit from the markerlight hit ifirc. The benefit is your markerlights will be spread out and harder to take out instead of in one nice little unit for your opponent to kill off as soon as he can.

It looks better but still a couple things. Why no DP or MT on your hammerhead? Also, you listed your crisis suits as "multi-tracker, missile pod, multi-tracker." I'm guessing this is a typo and one of those multi-tracker entries should be a plasma rifle instead? Why a multi-tracker on the broadsides? I only ask because you can't take a multi-tracker and a shield drone on each suit unless one is a team leader. I'd also try to stick a BSF on both your hammerhead and your broadside squads as they will want to be keeping their distance and firing all game.

Like I said, the list looks better, there are just some differences between your list and mine that are all personal preference. I don't take as many shield drones in my army and I don't take any kind of marker drones at all but let us know how they work out for you.

Dont leave home without your D-pods. FD's on devilfish are a bit of a gimmick TBH

Here's where I stand now:

HQ
Commander Shas'el
Missle Pod
Plasma Rifle
Multi Tracker
Upgrades: Hard wire drone controller, shield drone
Elites
3 XV8 Crisis Battle Suits
Plasma Rifle
Missile Pod
Multi Tracker
3 Stealth Suits
1 leader (Shas'vre)
Markerlight
Troops
9 Fire Warriors
9 Fire Warriors
9 Fire Warriors
With Devilfish and Smart Missiles
Upgrades: Disruption pod, flechette discharger, Multi Tracker , targeting array
9 Fire Warriors
With Devilfish and Smart Missiles
Upgrades, Disruption pod , flechette discharger , multi tracker , targeting array
Fast attack
6 Pathfinders
1 leader
bonding knife
Heavy Support
2 XV8 Broadside Battlesuits
Targeting Array
1 Leader
Upgrades: Hard-wired drone controller, shield drone
1 Hammerhead Gunship
Primary: Rail Gun
Secondary: Burst Cannons
Upgrades: Black sun filter, multi tracker, disruption pod

You should try to get a BSF on the broadsides and mabye give the leader a target lock for split fire.

I decided to upgrade my list to 1750. More room for upgrades and more rail guns. They have been great for me.


HQ
Commander Shas'el
Fusion blaster
Plasma Rifle
Multi Tracker
Upgrades: Hard wire drone controller, shield drone,

Elites
3 XV8 Crisis Battle Suits
Plasma Rifle
Missile Pod
Multi Tracker
3 Stealth Suits
1 leader (Shas'vre)
Upgrades: Hardwired controller, 1 marker drone

Troops
9 Fire Warriors
1 leader
upgrade: hardwired controller, gun drone
9 Fire Warriors
1 leader
updrage hardwired controller, gun drone
9 Fire Warriors
With Devilfish and Smart Missiles
Upgrades: Disruption pod, flechette discharger, Multi Tracker targeting array
9 Fire Warriors
With Devilfish and Smart Missiles
Upgrades, Disruption pod , flechette discharger , multi tracker , targeting array

Fast attack
6 Pathfinders
1 leader
bonding knife
EMP grenades

Heavy Support
2 XV8 Broadside Battlesuits
Multi-traker
1 Leader
Upgrades: Hard-wired drone controller, 1 shield drone, blacksun filter,
1 Hammerhead Gunship
Primary: Rail Gun
Secondary: Burst Cannons
Upgrades: Black sun filter, multi tracker, disruption pod,
1 Hammerhead Gunship
Primary: Rail Gun
Secondary: Burst Cannons
Upgrades Blacksun Filter, Multi Tracker, Disruption pod,

thoughts?

LIst keeps getting better, but it could use a little bit better formatting for readability. Maybe a blank line between units or have the upgrades offset a few spaces.

On the Hammerheads I would not worry about FD's. If you need them you already have bigger problems.

Thoughts on the fusion blaster on the commander?

Not recommended if he runs alone.

The Fusion and Plasma-combo has only 12" of effective range, and getting that close will get you killed in the enemy's assault phase.

It could work with an assault screen of Gun Drones or a Devilfish, but it's unreliable at best.

Just stick with Fireknife :3

I like Bladestorm and Centurion builds for the commander. Both are good cost to purpose builds.

barnowl wrote:
I like Bladestorm and Centurion builds for the commander. Both are good cost to purpose builds.

What's a Centurion build?

How do you guys feel about Farsight? I was thinking about cutting my commander for him.

Make sure you understand Farsight's drawbacks before you add him. I can't remember the exact numbers, but the main reason people take him is to spam suits.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
By drawbacks I mean, you can only take one HH and one squad of Broadsides.

Oh.....

ill stick to my shas'el.