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I'm going to be starting a Tau army, I'm completely new to Tau and I'm not sure what works so I'm looking for some advice on a list I've just done. Just bought the book and wanted peoples opinions before I went ahead and bought models.

Thanks





Tau Empire 6th Ed (2013) (Primary Detachment) Selections:

+ (Crisis Bodyguard) +

* XV8 Crisis Bodyguard Team
* Crisis Bodyguard

Crisis battlesuit, Plasma rifle, Twin-linked plasma rifle, Velocity tracker
* Crisis Bodyguard

Crisis battlesuit, Fusion blaster, Twin-linked fusion blaster, Velocity tracker
* 4x Gun Drone
4x Twin-linked pulse carbine


+ HQ +

* Commander

Crisis battlesuit, Drone controller, Fusion blaster, Missile pod, Multi-spectrum Sensor Suite, Neuroweb System Jammer, Onager Gauntlet, Puretide Engram Neurochip, Target lock, XV8-02 Crisis 'Iridium' Battlesuit
* 2x Marker Drone
2x Markerlight


+ Elites +

* XV104 Riptide

Early warning override, Ion accelerator, Riptide battlesuit, Riptide Shield Generator, Twin-linked fusion blaster, Velocity tracker


* XV8 Crisis Team

* Crisis Shas'ui
Crisis battlesuit, Missile pod, Target lock, Twin-linked missile pod
* Crisis Shas'ui
Crisis battlesuit, Plasma rifle, Target lock, Twin-linked plasma rifle
* Crisis Shas'ui
Crisis battlesuit, Plasma rifle, Target lock, Twin-linked plasma rifle
* 6x Gun Drone
6x Twin-linked pulse carbine


+ Troops +

* Fire Warrior Team

6x Fire Warrior Shas'la with pulse rifle, Photon grenades
* Fire Warrior Shas'ui
Markerlight and target lock, Pulse rifle


* Fire Warrior Team

6x Fire Warrior Shas'la with pulse rifle, Photon grenades
* Fire Warrior Shas'ui
Markerlight and target lock, Pulse rifle


* Fire Warrior Team

6x Fire Warrior Shas'la with pulse rifle, Photon grenades
* Fire Warrior Shas'ui
Markerlight and target lock, Pulse rifle


* Fire Warrior Team

6x Fire Warrior Shas'la with pulse rifle, Photon grenades


+ Fast Attack +

* Drone Squadron
(Supporting Fire)
* 4x Marker Drone
4x Markerlight


+ Heavy Support +

* XV88 Broadside Team

* Broadside Shas'ui
Broadside battlesuit, Early warning override, Twin-linked high-yield missile pod, Twin-linked smart missile system
* Broadside Shas'ui
Broadside battlesuit, Early warning override, Twin-linked high-yield missile pod, Twin-linked smart missile system
* Broadside Shas'ui
Broadside battlesuit, Early warning override, Twin-linked high-yield missile pod, Twin-linked smart missile system
* 6x Missile Drone
6x Missile pod


* XV88 Broadside Team

* Broadside Shas'ui
Broadside battlesuit, Early warning override, Twin-linked high-yield missile pod, Twin-linked smart missile system
* Broadside Shas'ui
Broadside battlesuit, Early warning override, Twin-linked high-yield missile pod, Twin-linked smart missile system
* Broadside Shas'ui
Broadside battlesuit, Early warning override, Twin-linked high-yield missile pod, Twin-linked smart missile system
* 6x Missile Drone
6x Missile pod

Ok this is a bit long so I apologize. I also want to say this is mostly just my opinion and should be taken with a grain of salt. I might have missed some things as well since I'm typing this on my phone at work but I tried to stay away from anything I would have needed the book for and I scrolled back up a few times.

For your body guards I would match they're weapons with only 2 of them and assuming you keep them with the commander you're weapons are too inconsistent. Pick a roll and have them fill it. If they are staying with the commander make those drones marker drones you have a serious deficiency of markerlights in your list. if they're operating independently then drop the drones completely as losing them will force LD rolls and it will be harder to keep the whole squad in cover after you JSJ.

Your commander needs to fill a roll as well, gotta decide who he's going with (drones or suits) and equip accordingly. He won't need 2 guns if he's going for buffs since he can't shoot if he does anyway or he can go strait Killy and devastate a type of unit (meq, teq, etc). But you'll get less out of your army if you don't specify

The riptide looks ok but I would drop the shield generator. It's to expensive for what you get and your tide has some wicked survivability already

Your crisis team should have uniform weapons as well and should be only 2 models with no drones for the same reason as your body guard team. They're survivability is heavily dependant on getting out of line of sight and that's difficult for larger squads if you really want to keep 3 but drop the drones 1 suit in the squad doesn't need target lock as he can be "the unit". I like VRT for the other option (especially if you run fusion blaster tank killing squad).

Your troops are too small. You'll run out of scoring units by round 2 if your opponent is wants and with pulse rifle range being long and with being able to rapid fire there really can't be too many fire warriors (I always run 12; especially with an ethereal which ill get to). I would also drop the markerlights on the fire warrior teams it's an extra 15 points for a 50/50 chance at a mark the team can't use.

Drone squadrons are good but absolutely NEED someone to control them (like your commander) which is fine but in the long run there is no replacement for pathfinders (scout, overwatch, can mark or shoot if the need arises, cheaper, can carry heavy weapons, etc). They also don't need the commander with them and don't make difficult terrain rolls in cover.

For heavy support your missilesides look good, I wouldn't run 2 squads though. I would trade 1 team for an ionhead with longstrike, d-pods, and spines but that's a personal choice (way cheaper). If you do keep them I'd give velocity trackers to the missilesides instead of EWO. I'd rather have better BS on my shooting phase than an upgrade that only works if the units come in within range. It will also beef up your AA. If you get rid of 1 team you can take a skyray with the hammerhead as well for around the same point cost and that gives you sky fire markerlights which is amazing

Now with all the points you've been saving on drones and such you should have an ethereal. For a piddly 50 points you get an extra rapid fire pulse shot or stubborn, or FNP, or run and snapshot (which can be augmented by markerlights) to all models within 12". This gives all your units firing overwatch with pulse weapons 3 shots at that annoying squad assaulting you (36 shots from 1 squad). This also gives them the use of his leadership for LD roles. The extra VP is kinda lame but the benefits far outweigh the risks. His aura of awesome extends out of a devilfish as well if you have the points for it so he can have a bit of armour is more mobile to lend his presence where it's needed and puts a burst cannon with a couple drones on the table as well

Sorry this whole thing was long winded

@Brutal Viking - Thanks for the advice, although I'm just struggling in general on what to take.

I've only ever played marine armies and I've been looking through the Tau codex and it all seems to work so different. I can't seem to come up with any lists that I think will work. I have no idea what the best loadouts for models are, I'm just trying to put together a fairly competitive list before I go out and start buying models.

Is there any chance people could give me some suggestions on what to take?

Thanks

The Riptide Shield Generator is not an upgrade. HBC is better for AA, though the frequent use of the Nova Reactor necessitates the Stim Injector and loss of EWO IMO. Otherwise dump the VT in favor of another upgrade and spend the VT on the Broadsides.

I'd relook at your weapons loadouts on your suits, try to complement each other and give a purpose.

Commander would benefit from 2xMissile Pods if he is with the Drones.

I don't think the bodyguard squad is necessary, and you have an elites slot open. Basically wasted 10pts each without giving them any Signature Systems.

Also, spend the points on the 'Vre upgrade for your Broadsides, the difference from LD8 to LD9 when you have easy drone kills is huge.

I'd also split your Broadsides into three units, lowers the likely hood that you will be swept.

EWO isn't the best upgrade for the Broadsides, condense a few and take a unit of VTs to help with AA and FMCs.

Hope my input helps.

Had a good think after taking in your advice and I've come up with a new 1500 point list, What could I do to improve this?


Selections:



+ HQ +

* Commander

Crisis battlesuit, Multi-spectrum Sensor Suite, Neuroweb System Jammer, Onager Gauntlet, Puretide Engram Neurochip, Target lock, Twin-linked fusion blaster, Velocity tracker, XV8-02 Crisis 'Iridium' Battlesuit


* Ethereal



+ Elites +

* XV104 Riptide

Early warning override, Ion accelerator, Riptide battlesuit, Riptide Shield Generator, Twin-linked fusion blaster, Velocity tracker


* XV8 Crisis Team

* Crisis Shas'ui
Advanced targeting system, Crisis battlesuit, Twin-linked plasma rifle
* Crisis Shas'ui
Crisis battlesuit, Target lock, Twin-linked plasma rifle
* Crisis Shas'ui
Counterfire defence system, Crisis battlesuit, Twin-linked plasma rifle


+ Troops +

* Fire Warrior Team

11x Fire Warrior Shas'la with pulse rifle, Photon grenades
* Fire Warrior Shas'ui
Pulse rifle


* Fire Warrior Team

11x Fire Warrior Shas'la with pulse rifle, Photon grenades
* Fire Warrior Shas'ui
Pulse rifle


* Fire Warrior Team

11x Fire Warrior Shas'la with pulse rifle, Photon grenades
* Fire Warrior Shas'ui
Pulse rifle


* Kroot Carnivore Squad

* 16x Kroot
16x Kroot rifle


+ Fast Attack +

* Pathfinder Team

Photon grenades
* 4x Pathfinder Shas'la
4x Pulse carbine with Markerlight
* Pathfinder Shas'ui
Pulse carbine with Markerlight


* Pathfinder Team

Photon grenades
* Grav-inhibitor Drone
Gravity wave projector
* 4x Pathfinder Shas'la
4x Pulse carbine with Markerlight
* Pathfinder Shas'ui
Pulse carbine with Markerlight


+ Heavy Support +

* Hammerhead Gunship
Railgun, Two Gun Drones


* XV88 Broadside Team

* Broadside Shas'ui
Broadside battlesuit, Twin-linked high-yield missile pod, Twin-linked smart missile system, Velocity tracker
* Broadside Shas'vre
Broadside battlesuit, Twin-linked high-yield missile pod, Twin-linked smart missile system, Velocity tracker

I like it. It seems competitive enough and theres a mix of everything.