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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 01:15:25
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Ultramarine Librarian with Freaky Familiar
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So, I've recently acquired a Tau codex and the Farsight supplement for cheap and I am going to get some models soon. Where do I start with them? What do I give the battle suits? For now I am going to start them off as allies for my guard army before making them their own force. I am considering having all crisis suit teams with some path finders to back them up.
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Thought for the day: Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.
30k Ultramarines: 2000 pts
Bolt Action Germans: ~1200 pts
AOS Stormcast: Just starting.
The Empire : ~60-70 models.
1500 pts
: My Salamanders painting blog 16 Infantry and 2 Vehicles done so far! |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 01:34:25
Subject: Re:Where to Start with Tau
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Road-Raging Blood Angel Biker
United States of America
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Tau are one of the easiest armies to play at the moment. In fact the Farsight supplement is super competitive and considered by some to be broken. I would start by getting at least 3 Riptides. Your not gonna use 3 with your allies, at most you could fit 2, but 3 will make it that much easier to start a Tau army. Your gonna need to choose whether you go pure Farsight or Tau with Farsight allies. Tau with Farsight allies is very competitive as I mentioned above. You can do what is known as a O'vessastar.
O'vessastar: Basically you take O'vessa, another riptide (preferably an IonTide) and then Farsight, a commander with Multispectrum sensor suite, Command and Control Node, Puretide Engram Neurochip, and Vectored Retrothrusters (I think that's what it's called). You now have 2 Riptides, one putting out a str 8 ap 2 pie plate that ignores cover (str 9 if Novacharged), a burstide putting out 12 (if novacharged) rending shots ignoring cover, also all the shots can have tank hunter or monster hunter, and a very mobile unit that can run away very quickly, can tank wounds, and can even hit and run should close combat happen by accident!
That's a VERY good start and then you can work the rest of your army around that. I'll leave that up to my fellow dakkites to explain.
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The God Emperor Guides my blade! |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 01:34:37
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Perturbed Blood Angel Tactical Marine
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A troop and a HQ are probably your best bet.
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Purge the heretic. |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 01:36:11
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Decrepit Dakkanaut
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 01:39:49
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Ultramarine Librarian with Freaky Familiar
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Point taken, Ailaros.
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Thought for the day: Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.
30k Ultramarines: 2000 pts
Bolt Action Germans: ~1200 pts
AOS Stormcast: Just starting.
The Empire : ~60-70 models.
1500 pts
: My Salamanders painting blog 16 Infantry and 2 Vehicles done so far! |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 02:07:14
Subject: Re:Where to Start with Tau
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Drone without a Controller
Palm Beach County FL, USA
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Magnetize the battle suits!
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2500 pts 0/1/0 4500 pts 25/6/0 8th Edition
Star Trek Attack wing |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 02:11:43
Subject: Re:Where to Start with Tau
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Trustworthy Shas'vre
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Sanguinis wrote:Tau are one of the easiest armies to play at the moment. In fact the Farsight supplement is super competitive and considered by some to be broken. I would start by getting at least 3 Riptides. Your not gonna use 3 with your allies, at most you could fit 2, but 3 will make it that much easier to start a Tau army. Your gonna need to choose whether you go pure Farsight or Tau with Farsight allies. Tau with Farsight allies is very competitive as I mentioned above. You can do what is known as a O'vessastar.
O'vessastar: Basically you take O'vessa, another riptide (preferably an IonTide) and then Farsight, a commander with Multispectrum sensor suite, Command and Control Node, Puretide Engram Neurochip, and Vectored Retrothrusters (I think that's what it's called). You now have 2 Riptides, one putting out a str 8 ap 2 pie plate that ignores cover ( str 9 if Novacharged), a burstide putting out 12 (if novacharged) rending shots ignoring cover, also all the shots can have tank hunter or monster hunter, and a very mobile unit that can run away very quickly, can tank wounds, and can even hit and run should close combat happen by accident!
That's a VERY good start and then you can work the rest of your army around that. I'll leave that up to my fellow dakkites to explain.
Wow, cause Riptides and the O'VesaStar are the only Tau builds. You may want to actually read the Farsight Enclave Supplement before you give advice about it, as you don't even know the rules associated with it. You CANNOT ally two Riptides using the Farsight Enclave Codex. O'Vesa can only be taken if Farsight is your Warlord, and that would require FE to be your Primary Detatchment.
To the OP, start with an HQ and troops. If you like the idea of suits, pick up two boxes and a Commander Model. Otherwise try an Ethereal and two boxes of Fire Warriors and a box of Pathfinders. Maybe a pair of Broadsides.
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This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/11/13 02:13:58
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 04:00:21
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Focused Fire Warrior
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I would start with an HQ you like.. personally...
if you have farsight supplement then he is a good choice for HQ
ethereals are very beneficial as well
cadre fire blades are good and cheap if using for ally
fire warriors are awesomely powerful shooters for the points, I love them
pathfinders are a must
riptides are awesome you should start with 1
broadsides with High yield missile pods are extremely popular and I use 2
I would personally start with
an HQ you like...
2 boxes of fire warriors
1 box of pathfinders
1 riptide
and 2-3 broadsides
(this is very good to use as an ally.. obviously if you are using the supplement the crisis make very good troop choices)
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Necrons
Tau |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 04:44:52
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Ultramarine Librarian with Freaky Familiar
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Thanks guys. I think I'll use battlesuits for now. Any recommended load outs? I'm thinking missiles and those not plasma guns.
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Thought for the day: Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.
30k Ultramarines: 2000 pts
Bolt Action Germans: ~1200 pts
AOS Stormcast: Just starting.
The Empire : ~60-70 models.
1500 pts
: My Salamanders painting blog 16 Infantry and 2 Vehicles done so far! |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 04:59:26
Subject: Re:Where to Start with Tau
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Trustworthy Shas'vre
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I run full squads of Dual Burst Cannon Suits with Gun Drones, Twin Linked Missile Pod Suits with Marker Drones, and Twin Linked Fusion Blaster/Fusion Blaster Suits.
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 05:15:38
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Trustworthy Shas'vre
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Proxy stuff, and find a build that works for you.
The real strength of the new tau codex is not the obviously strong models...but the fact it supports tons of builds.
You will find TONs of advice pro and con for various units ...this is because it does indeed overall have good internal balance.
Of course, some of this is only obvious to players who think about it, and not just jump on "net lists" or "riptide spam".
LIke any new book, once players out there learn how to deal with the powerful units, those builds with slowly go away....also, you never want to learn with a power build - it is a crutch - do yourself a favor, and just play and learn. You will be a better player in the long run.
best of luck, and welcome to the greater good...
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DavePak
"Remember, in life, the only thing you absolutely control is your own attitude - do not squander that power."
Fully Painted armies:
TAU: 10k Nids: 9600 Marines: 4000 Crons: 7600
Actor, Gamer, Comic, Corporate Nerd
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 06:15:28
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Big Mek in Kustom Dragster with Soopa-Gun
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Tau are one of the few races that can field just about their entire codex and make it work. The exception, vespid and the fighter lol. Vespid are the crappiest anti-marine unit in the game, and the bomber does the fighters job better (which even it isnt that great but it CAN work). People just dive at the obvious riptide spam and broadside spam.
Im actually trying to use stealthsuits and piranhas right now. Piranhas are awesome, so far the stealthsuits rely purely on who im facing. Which i despise because that encourages list tailoring.
people hate the riptide spammers, and with good reason. i hate running it because its just no fun. Whats the point in playing if your army can just stand there at your end of the table and not even need cover?
In my experience though, people do actually like the tactical tau players that either dont use riptides at all, or use them sparsely. Triple crisis teams are still deadly, but everyone is fixated on riptides.
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An ork with an idea tends to end with a bang.
14000pts Big 'n Bad Orkz
6000pts Admech/Knights
7500pts Necron Goldboys |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 06:22:13
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Ultramarine Librarian with Freaky Familiar
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davethepak wrote:Proxy stuff, and find a build that works for you.
The real strength of the new tau codex is not the obviously strong models...but the fact it supports tons of builds.
You will find TONs of advice pro and con for various units ...this is because it does indeed overall have good internal balance.
Of course, some of this is only obvious to players who think about it, and not just jump on "net lists" or "riptide spam".
LIke any new book, once players out there learn how to deal with the powerful units, those builds with slowly go away....also, you never want to learn with a power build - it is a crutch - do yourself a favor, and just play and learn. You will be a better player in the long run.
best of luck, and welcome to the greater good...
That's probably for the best anyway. I am not into Tau just for the power (Though that is a nice bonus). I just really, really like the models. Okay, I'm sold, I'll make a battle suit list of my own design and see what I like. It's nice to play an army that doesn't have half the codex suck for once.
Also, it's a shame Riptides are overpowered. They are very nice models.
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Thought for the day: Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.
30k Ultramarines: 2000 pts
Bolt Action Germans: ~1200 pts
AOS Stormcast: Just starting.
The Empire : ~60-70 models.
1500 pts
: My Salamanders painting blog 16 Infantry and 2 Vehicles done so far! |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 07:22:45
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Dakka Veteran
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Okay: I'm probably going to repeat what a lot of other people have said. I haven't looked at the Farsight Enclave so I won't comment on that.
You want to use FIrewarriors, and you want to put them in a devilfish, unless your going to gunline them. The transport gives them needed mobility, and defense against xeno killing templates.
Riptides are strong. I only have one and I only intend to have one, because they are very powerful. Always field it with the Ion Accelerator, unless your using it as an anti-flier platform, then you want the shots to have a better chance at glancing the hellturkey to death. I always give mine stimulant injectors, just because it will draw a lot of fire, and you can take FNP against the nova reactor.
Personally, I still love Hammerheads. Using Railgun with submunition, but I've come to appreciate the Ion Cannon against MEQ.
Alot of people will say to spam Markerlights in the form of Pathfinders. I don't find that to be true anymore. while yes this is a viable approach, I think they are more useful in small units of 4 with Ion rifles and Rail rifles, to counter things your regular firewarriros will have issues with. when I feel I need to do some serious markerlight spam, I use a squad of marker drones joined by a commander with drone controller.
I like to use the "Farsight bomb" of Farsight and his 7 bodyguards, I like to keep it simple and give each body guard 2 plasma rifles and call it good, but you can have a lot of fun here, and kit them out differently. ((Magnetizing crisis suits is very useful. ))
A Buff Commander supporting broadsides can be very effective.
Kroot I find are fun to have infiltrate the enemy's backfield. always take the sniper ammo, its a cheap enough upgrade for what it does. especially against eldar wraithknights and other monstrous creatures. But they are really to provide a distraction while you get your firewarriors into positions.
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This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/11/13 07:26:01
I like to say I have two armies: Necrons, and Imperium.....
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 07:51:02
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Fireknife Shas'el
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Best thing for battle suit load? Magnets, magnets and more magnets! You can get some little (I use 2mm diameter) rare earth magnets for less than 10p (15c) each. Buy at least 100. They fit easily and neatly into the weapon slots on the suits and the studs on the weapons and support systems.
It's a doddle of a conversion and you'll never have to worry about wysiwyg again.
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 21:40:34
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Monstrous Master Moulder
Space Cowboy Cruising Around Olympus Mons
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If you are going for allied detachment don't go with 3 riptides that's stupid haha
Honestly you said you wanted suits, just buy 1 box of 3 suits and then the battleforce.
People say you won't use the piranha (but at 45 base points can't go wrong)
So if you have the battle force and the extra box of suits thats:
6 suits
12 firewarriors
3 stealth suits
1 piranha
Lots of drones
1 suit can be you commander
I would honestly do 2 suits with missile pod, missile pod, target lock, 2 marker drones
Then other ones with plasma, plasma, target lock, 2 marker drones
You can also get some guns if you want to convert a few suits to broadsides (I got mine from paulson games, great stuff cheap too lol)
That is a pretty reasonable cost to start because riptides cost like 100 each which is a jip
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 23:07:22
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Water-Caste Negotiator
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This!
Pathfinders are critical to making sure rounds hit their targets. Crisis Commanders are going to be ideal for what you have in mind. Farsight's rules in particular would make a suit heavy army really effective. Riptides would be ideal as the other elite choice is just ok. A hammerhead tank would be a great idea as you start expanding.
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/13 23:14:59
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Legendary Master of the Chapter
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If your starting them off as allies,
probably start with pathfinders as above suggests.
Magnets for your crisis suits.
Some broadsides on an eventual scale.
1 ethereal (they are cheap and useable in many lists)
1 unit of fire warriors or kroot. doesn't really matter that much yet.
It gives you a decent fire base, with a few multi tool suits to try things out.
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Unit1126PLL wrote: Scott-S6 wrote:And yet another thread is hijacked for Unit to ask for the same advice, receive the same answers and make the same excuses.
Oh my god I'm becoming martel.
Send help!
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/15 03:59:13
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Repentia Mistress
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A farseer and squad of 3 jetbikes. Get cheap darkreapers and a spiritseer too if you can, about to become the next "broken" combo.
More serious I would grab a naked Suit and paint him up as a buff commander, he has a place in every competitive list.
Riptides are fantastic, even naked. I hated them at first for being so cliche but after playing with them they are a lot of fun and honestly aren't overpowered.
Pathfinders are good, I don't think they are needed and if you dislike them for whatever reason don't feel like your gimping yourself.
Tau suits are great, magnetize the weapons and run em, they are the main reason why a lot get into tau. Cut the legs and make cool poses, it's easy.
Fire warriors are argue the best troop in the game, 30'' strng 5 weapons are already insane and with Orks and Tyranids about to become more popular with codex releases ap 5 will matter again. I think they are 9 a model? Insane.
I don't recomend ethereal's, from a competitive standpoint slapping a potential VP over such a weak model is a huge target.
I'll get flamed for saying this but I find when starting a new army I'm always satisfied with copy and pasting a competitive tournament list. Just to start off my collection. Deviation from that of course is expected afterwards but at least I've got a good, proven, tested list. It sets a good goal and if you do some searching I'm sure you will find one with models you enjoy fluff wise aswell.
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This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2013/11/15 04:08:32
hey what time is it?
"Try looking on page 12 of the FAQ."
-Ghaz |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/15 04:41:07
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Ultramarine Librarian with Freaky Familiar
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Aijec wrote:A farseer and squad of 3 jetbikes. Get cheap darkreapers and a spiritseer too if you can, about to become the next "broken" combo.
More serious I would grab a naked Suit and paint him up as a buff commander, he has a place in every competitive list.
Riptides are fantastic, even naked. I hated them at first for being so cliche but after playing with them they are a lot of fun and honestly aren't overpowered.
Pathfinders are good, I don't think they are needed and if you dislike them for whatever reason don't feel like your gimping yourself.
Tau suits are great, magnetize the weapons and run em, they are the main reason why a lot get into tau. Cut the legs and make cool poses, it's easy.
Fire warriors are argue the best troop in the game, 30'' strng 5 weapons are already insane and with Orks and Tyranids about to become more popular with codex releases ap 5 will matter again. I think they are 9 a model? Insane.
I don't recomend ethereal's, from a competitive standpoint slapping a potential VP over such a weak model is a huge target.
I'll get flamed for saying this but I find when starting a new army I'm always satisfied with copy and pasting a competitive tournament list. Just to start off my collection. Deviation from that of course is expected afterwards but at least I've got a good, proven, tested list. It sets a good goal and if you do some searching I'm sure you will find one with models you enjoy fluff wise aswell.
I will, never, ever do Taudar. Not because I have a problem with their playstyle, "balance" or cost. I just dislike things that have dumb mashed together names like that.
I actually see a use for Ethereals: FW spam. Get a bunch of Firewarriors and jam 'em behind an ADL. This army is bad but there you go.
Also, I did the same thing with IG. The problem with that is often tourney lists are written as a snap snot of whats good then. By the time I got my IG army up it was mostly stoopid because of how things had shifted. I don't want to copy/paste a tourneylist. For once, I shall forge my own army! By asking what everyone else what I should do!
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Thought for the day: Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.
30k Ultramarines: 2000 pts
Bolt Action Germans: ~1200 pts
AOS Stormcast: Just starting.
The Empire : ~60-70 models.
1500 pts
: My Salamanders painting blog 16 Infantry and 2 Vehicles done so far! |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/15 05:58:34
Subject: Re:Where to Start with Tau
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Fresh-Faced New User
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My personal favorite load out with the crisis suits is give 2 twin linked burst cannons and 1 with twin linked fusion blaster and target lock. So 2 deal with troops and 1 for vehicles at the same time. Plus the fusion blaster is good at killing terminators if nothing else.
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3000 pts
:Iron Hands: 2000pts |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/15 13:39:43
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Annoyed Blood Angel Devastator
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Buy 3 Riptides if you want nobody to play with you.
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"For eleven hundred years, I have fought and I have seen the darkness in our galaxy. I have seen the vileness of the alien and the heresy of the mutant. I have witnessed the sin of possession. I have seen all the evil that the galaxy harbours, and I have slain all whose presence defiles the Emperor. I have seen what you will see. I have fought what you must fight, and I have slain what you must slay... so fear not and be proud, for we are the sons of Sanguinius, the protectors of Mankind. Aye, we are indeed the Angels of Death." |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/15 15:50:36
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Ultramarine Librarian with Freaky Familiar
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Hey, not all of us potential Tau players are in it for the tri-Riptide goodness. I'm in it for the battle suits and markerlights! Its totally different!
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Thought for the day: Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.
30k Ultramarines: 2000 pts
Bolt Action Germans: ~1200 pts
AOS Stormcast: Just starting.
The Empire : ~60-70 models.
1500 pts
: My Salamanders painting blog 16 Infantry and 2 Vehicles done so far! |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2013/11/15 16:50:58
Subject: Where to Start with Tau
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Junior Officer with Laspistol
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Battlesuits are great, And you don't needa Riptide to make them work. You could try running Farsight Enclaves all suit list - Stealth suits, Crisis Teams, Drones. You can get everything you need in there.
You could mix it up by taking Hammerheads, Skyrays, etc. Nothing has to move at less than 6" a turn and still be effective, most things can and will go faster than that.
And for the TFGs you'll undoubtedly find, you can use the Tau book and run the FarSun bomb. Be sure to include Riptides in this.
Pathfinders are not the be-all end-all of markerlights. Marker drone squads with a DC Shas'O can put out alot of reliable markerlight hits per turn, and are cheaper than Pathfinders (IIRC - I might eb wrong about this bit), and are more durable.
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Pretre: OOOOHHHHH snap. That's like driving away from hitting a pedestrian.
Pacific:First person to Photoshop a GW store into the streets of Kabul wins the thread.
Selym: "Be true to thyself, play Chaos" - Jesus, Daemon Prince of Cegorach.
H.B.M.C: You can't lobotomise someone twice. |
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