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Wanted to make a tau list with nothing but suits, and at least one of each kind for a long time now. With the r'varna out now, and enclave lists becoming popular I decided to go this route,

The theme: a farsight list with no named IC, nothing but suits and drones (no vehicles or "foot infantry"), NO ALLIES shenanigans, and at least 1 of each class suit. The list features 12 xv8 class suits, 5 stealth, 3 riptide and 3 broadside. (Model count 30) I also have 6 scoring units, and 15 markerlights across 5 units. Is it competitive? Too cheesy? Thoughts please....

HQ: = 272
Mark'o commander ( missile/missile/dc/tl/2x marker drone) -152
Commander w/ fusion/fusion/cfd - 120

Troops = 633
3 crisis w/ plasma/plasma, bonded = 159
3 crisis w/ fusion/fusion/cfd/bonded = 174
1 crisis w/ missile/tl/dc 2x marker drone = 75
1 crisis w/ missile/tl/dc 2x marker drone = 75
1 crisis w/ missile/tl/dc 2x marker drone = 75
1 crisis w/ missile/tl/dc 2x marker drone = 75

Elites = 565
Riptide hbc/ecpa - 210
Riptide ion, fusion, velocity - 205
5 stealth suits = 150

Fast attack = 70
5 marker drones = 70

Heavy support = 455
R'varna battle suit = 260
3 broadsides, hymp, SMS = 195

Total: 1995

A list without a buff commander and kroot is never going to be top tier, but we are entering the times when Tau will not be competitive as primary detachments anyway at big tournaments.

However, a list like this can do very well locally.

A few tweaks:

1) Consider taking Farsight himself instead of the fusion commander. You actually get a lot for your buck. You get a suit team coming in with fusion (and flamers!) without scattering, and for when you are inevitably assaulted, he's actually very good in CC. S5 AP2 A4 I5, Armorbane, Fleshbane, with a 4++. Throw VRT on one of the suits in his team so they hit&run out if it gets hairy.

2) You are investing way too much in your solo suits. Run them basically naked with bonding and a TLMP. Half the time you'll want to reserve them anyway.

3) Your HBC/ECPA riptide should have SMS, Velocity Tracker and EWO. The IA riptide should have only EWO.

Since I advocated eliminating all those marker drones, you can make a second squad and run 2 Mark'o commanders if you prefer that over Farsight. I prefer taking him though, he's such a BAMF.

The hbc riptide does have SMS. I'm 5 pts short on total, so adding a ewo is easy. As for farsight himself, the theme is no named IC. So no farsight, shadow sun, ovesa etc. I do agree farsight is bamf. But he doesn't fit the theme, so gotta leave him home.
My thinking on the single suits - with 3 hard points they have a single missile and a target lock to fire separate from drones. The dc makes those markers hit on 4+ instead of 5+ and since no allied buffmander - I. Think marker support will be critical. 75 points for a unit that can MSJ at 36" and marker one target while shooting another seems respectable. Plus it's scoring.

I am worried about my fusion team getting charged, hence the counter fire systems. Not sure if I have the 5 pts for the vrt on them. Unless I remove the ewo from the hbc riptide.

Since both are situational, wich is better? A ewo on the hbc/SMS riptide, or hit and run on the fusion suits?

 The Shrike wrote:


3) Your HBC/ECPA riptide should have SMS, Velocity Tracker and EWO. The IA riptide should have only EWO.

Copy Paste from other threads:

BS3 options with skyfire: AV12 (before Jink)

Iontide = str7 AP2 x3 = 1.5 hits, .5 HP lost
broadisde = str7 AP4 x4 = 3 hits, 1 HP lost
MP/MP crisis suit = str7 ap4 x4 = 2 hits, 2/3 HP lost
Skyray = awesomesauce
BurstTide (regular) str6 ap4 x8 = 4 hits 2/3 HP lost
BurstTide (nova) str6 ap4 x12= 6 hits, 1 PEN
Quad gun str7 AP4 x4 = 3hits, 1HP lost

BS 5 Quad gun = 4hits (*assuming), 1 and 1/3rd HP lost

just saying Aun'Va is saddened everytime a commander puts skyfire on a iontide. They are much better suited to anti infantry roles. EWO = good great, don't deepstrike terminators anywhere I can see them, VT = not a good choice on them, compared to any other option listed. Note the broadside up there is just a single broadside.

broadside x3 without skyfire: 12 shots = 3 and 2/3 hits, 1.22222whatever fraction that is, of a HP lost.

STILL BETTER THAN AN IONTIDE.

just saying

EDIT: Also you can get into the psycology of forceing your opponent to Jink and just look at the number of hits. Once again the iontide is not that great IF we look at more hits = more likely to cause a jink.