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Im trying to figure out what to model on my new broadside, in the average game is a high yield missile pod going to outweigh a twin-linked heavy rail rifle?

Against everything except av14 i feel like they will out do them everytime!

HYMP is better. Far more shots at only a slight decrease in power. They will also make better use of markers due to the higher amount of shots that benefit.

The downside is less range, which I feel can definitely be mitigated.

A TL Heavy Rail Rifle does, however, have a greater chance to blow up the targets it penetrates due to its low AP. Personally I believe the two are evenly matched against most targets.

I feel that low range on HYMP needs more much more protection (commander, drones) than a heavy rail gun would require - even with 2+ they can be outranged and instakilled with popular long range heavy support choices. This shortcoming of HYMP is what makes for me rail gun not obsolete. Second good thing about heavy rail gun is it's AP1, which can blow or neutralize enemy vehicles (flyers) much easier, but with torrent of fire HYMP comes much more reliable.

Thus I'd say, that heavy rail gun has its uses in certain lists and certain metas, but HYMP seems overall better, but notably more expensive choice.

In the end, every peace of loudout depends entirely on your whole list. I have this feeling for all most of Tau units and it makes the codex great for me.

I'm struggling to think of a situation were I would want to put my rail rifle over the HYMP. If the tau hadn't migrated to a much more gunline style of play, I might be be able to use the rail rifles.

A HRR Shas'vre with ATS could be an interesting way to get deadly precision shots, but under almost any other circumstance the HYMP is better.

This is really a shame. Rail Broadside is such an iconic Tau unit that it makes me sad that they're no longer viable. Especially as the new model looks so much better in rail configuration than it does in missile configuration.

 Crimson wrote:
This is really a shame. Rail Broadside is such an iconic Tau unit that it makes me sad that they're no longer viable. Especially as the new model looks so much better in rail configuration than it does in missile configuration.

If you are playing friendly matches, then you can houserule the HRR to be Rapid Fire thus it can be a real option instead of the HYMP.

Broadsides are still great.. just a different configuration.. I love my Broadsides. They do so much damage.

There's another thread on it in Tactics; HYMP is almost always going to be the better choice, especially with SMS and 2 missile drones.

I'm really enjoying plasma rifle/heavy rail rifle with interceptor. Very nice for denying deep strikers and gives an option against alpha-striking flyers.

 Dracos wrote:
I'm really enjoying plasma rifle/heavy rail rifle with interceptor. Very nice for denying deep strikers and gives an option against alpha-striking flyers.

This +1