Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hey Dakka,

Going up against Tau in my next game. I know my opponent's army is a Suit heavy list (no Riptides or Vees).

So I'm wondering, how do you think this list will fair against a suit heavy team? I plan on contesting objectives with the Tactical Marines and Predators as support. The Sternguard and Pedro make judicious use of cover to advance hard on one flank. Since Pedro gives the Sternguard scoring, I can actually take a point from him while the Tacs make a denial effect. The ASM are there to either lock down a unit, to hit the other exposed flank, or just sit behind the lines in order to prevent an assault from the Tau (since suits do have high strength and good saves iirc).

HQ
Pedro Kantor - 185 pts
Honor Guard (6 Marines) - 160 pts

Troops
Tactical Marines (10 Marines) - 165 pts
Flamer
Multi-Melta
Combi-Grav

Tactical Marines (10 Marines) - 165 pts
Flamer
Multi-Melta
Combi-Grav

Elites
Sternguard Veterans (10 Marines) - 280 pts
2x Combi Meltas
2x Combi Flamers

Fast Attack
Assault Marines (10 Marines) - 205 pts
2x Flamers
Power Fist

Heavy Support
Predator - 120 pts
Twin Linked Lascannon
Heavy Bolters

Predator - 120 pts
Twin Linked Lascannon
Heavy Bolters

Thunderfire Cannon -100 pts

PS: I own lots of bodies, but very few vehicles. I do have Terminators in abundance, but I feel like running Terminators against Tau is a recipe for disaster. I do have an additional Razorback (that is convertible to Rhino or Predator, hehehe) and a Land Speeder.

I don't want to be harsh but it looks a total mess.

Pedro is OK, but only OK and only worth taking if you're spamming Sternguard. You have 1 squad with no transport. Walking marines are dead marines against Tau.

Honourguard are a great unit and do very well against Tau. With 6 bodies you'll want 4 Mauls and 2 Axes. But to get them there you need a Landraider, Redeemer or Crusader are both good. Tau struggle with AV14 so a pair of Landraiders will cause them real problems. If you don't have a LR for them drop them and take more Sternguard.

Two full tactical squads with Pedro? Why just why. Take 2 5 man scout squads. Kit them for CC to dovetail with Pedro (people don't expect scouts with 4 S4 attacks on the charge each). Then spend all those wasted points on more Sternguard. Tactical Marines are one of the worst troops choices in the game they have mediocre survivability but very poor damage output for their points. They are a necessary evil at best in a Pedro list they have no place at all.

Sternguard need a more defined roll. If you're taking combi meltas you need 3 preferably 4 so you are favourite to kill that tank. 2 combi flamers is good as its enough to do serious damage to a horde particularly with the special ammo support. I like either a squad with 4 combi meltas or a squad with 4 combi-plasmas and 2 Heavy flamers. Those squads pick the right target and kill it in 1 turn. Drop pods are generally the best way to deliver them particularly against a Tau player who hasn't got intercepting Riptides. Walking them is a bad idea.

Assault marines aren't great. Flamers on them is a bad idea as you'll just kill yourself out of assault range. Again in a Pedro list these are points that should be spent on Sternguard.

Your Predators make no sense. Everything that the lascannons needs to shoot at can't be hurt by the Heavy Bolters. Whilst what the Heavy Bolters want to shoot at will not be a good target for the lascannon. So every single turn those tanks are wasting their fire power. Go triple las, Autocannon + las or Autocannon + heavy bolter. Taking them in pairs is good taking them with weapons that don't work well together is bad.

TFC is great the only part of your list I wouldn't change.

No, thank you. That was exactly what I was looking for. I just got back into the hobby after being out since 4th.

I have more than enough bodies, but I'm very short on vehicles: three Rhino chassis vees (convertible with magnets, etc into Rhinos, Razorbacks or Preds), and a Land Speeder. But I do have a gakload of bodies. So unfortunately, my list will be footslogging until I save up the cash to either purchase a couple of Land Raiders off eBay or some bike squads.

So I'm sitting on 1205 points with this list. I basically just used what you said. I have two ideas after this list:

HQ
Pedro Kantor - 185 pts

Troops
Scouts 5x Scouts - 55 pts

Scouts 5x Scouts - 55 pts

Elites
Sternguard 10x Sternguard - 280 pts
4x Combi Melta

Sternguard 10x Sternguard - 300 pts
4x Combi Plasma
2x Heavy Flamers

Heavy Support
Predator - 115 pts
Lascannon Sponsons

Predator - 115 pts
Lascannon Sponsons

Thunderfire Cannon - 100 pts

Idea 1) Add another 10x Sternguard with three Combi Gravs, drop one combi each per the other Sternguards, then give every Sternguard Sgt a Power Sword and call it a day. I don't need melta bombs since I know there are no vehicles. Just high T high save Suits like Broadsides.

Idea 2) Add a Dark Angels Detachment with a Libbie for Divination (use it on a unit that's about to unload with the combi weapons), another Scout squad, and another Predator with an Autocannon and Lascannon Sponsons. With the remaining 50 points, give every scout squad camo cloaks and sniper rifles and have them blow holes in suits with sniper rifles. With the remaining 5 points I'd give the Librarian a Storm Bolter.

Sterngyard are good when you give then specific role with combi . There special ammo takes care of other situations. Just go 5 combi weps. Its my pref. Good anti tank/Mc and special ammo for others

Well I have a lot of bodies, and I know Terminators are just not very good against Tau. But I'm also aware that Tacs are just not as good as they used to be. So Sternguard is really my only option.

What do we think of my ideas? 3x Sternguard squads (for all the combi wea or a Prescience Libby, sniper rilfes and a third Pred?

Does he derp strike his battle suits? If he doesn't then just drop pod 3 sternguard squads with combi gravs or meltas by them and turn 2 he is tabled. If he derp strikes them then you will have to counter (id recommend going second) but you should still be able to murder them easily.

But honestly Pedro isn't that great, you should take librarian tiggy for the rerolls to reserves and divination.

No Droppods, so I will elect to go second. If he deep strikes then I'll eat his face. Gonna to go two combat squads of Sternguard, take the DA Libby for Prescience, the extra scout squad and extra Pred. This does give me seven scoring units, so if I can get Linebreaker on him it'll hurt.

I know Pedro isn't great, but he is reasonable imho. If I take Tiggy lose four scoring units and have to keep three squads of +4 scouts alive. But the more and more I think about this list, the more I like it. Scouts keep things pinned while the Sternguard and Preds go after everything else.

I would swap a pred for a 2nd TFC. You then have two of each.

Yeah. I guess I could proxy the second Thunderfire. Good idea