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Hey all,

I'm thinking about starting a new Tau army and put together this list to help me decide what I should buy. I'll be magnetizing everything I can, so I wanted to get thoughts on the list as well as thoughts on what is worth buying.




+++ 1850pt Tau Empire 6th Ed (2013) Roster (Primary Detachment)) +++

+ HQ + (84pts)

* Cadre Fireblade (84pts)

* 2x Gun Drone



+ Elites +

* XV104 Riptide (190pts)
Early warning override, Ion accelerator


* XV104 Riptide (185pts)
Early warning override , Heavy burst cannon


* XV8 Crisis Team (171pts)
3x Crisis Shas'ui (57pts)
Fusion blaster, Twin-linked plasma rifle


+ Troops + (374pts)

* Fire Warrior Team (133pts)
10x Fire Warrior Shas'la with pulse rifle
* 2x Marker Drone



* Fire Warrior Team (108pts)
12x Fire Warrior Shas'la with pulse carbine


* Fire Warrior Team (133pts)
10x Fire Warrior Shas'la with pulse rifle
* 2x Marker Drone


+ Fast Attack + (330pts)

* Pathfinder Team (140pts)
* 8x Pathfinder Shas'la
* 2x Pathfinder Shas'la (rail)

* Pathfinder Team (140pts)
* 8x Pathfinder Shas'la
* 2x Pathfinder Shas'la (rail)

* Piranha (50pts)
Fusion blaster

+ Heavy Support + (505pts)

* Sky Ray Missile Defense Gunship (115pts)
Twin-linked smart missile system, Velocity tracker

* XV88 Broadside Team (195pts)
3x Broadside battlesuit, Twin-linked heavy rail rifle, Twin-linked smart missile system


* XV88 Broadside Team (195pts)
3x Broadside battlesuit, Twin-linked high-yield missile pod, Twin-linked smart missile system

Wouldn't waste the points on the Piranhas ....but that's just me...

You also are required to have one buff commander and two units of kroot. I think it's an unwritten Tau doctrine or something

Don't put individual upgrades points cost in your list it is against forum rules.

Also don't put standard wargear in the list it makes it much harder to read.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
As for the list there's not much great in it.

Fireblade is mediocre only really worth it for the ML in a big unit of FWs which you have one of. But an Ethereal is cheaper and buffs multiple units.

Riptides should stick with Ion. Stims are also worth it if you have the points.

Crisis teams shouldn't mix weapons. They are your problem solvers. Work out what your list struggles against most and take Crisis suits to fill that gap. Take 2 fusion blasters and a flamer if you're poor against AV14. Double MP for antiAV12- or double plasma for killing heavy infantry (3 models pumping out 12 plasma shots hurts).

Firewarriors should be kept cheap. Units of 6-9 is the best option. Marker Drones should only ever be taken with a drone controller commander.

Pathfinders exist purely for markerlight never take any toys on them. Mark'o commanders and buffmanders are generally the better way to go.

Piranhas work best in bigger units you need at least 3 to be worth it. Though personally if I wanted fusion I would take it on suits not Piranhas.

Broadsides should ALWAYS have HYMPs they are just flat better. They need EWOs as well they are your AA and max missile drones is an auto-include too they are ridiculous for 12 points.

 FlingitNow wrote:
Don't put individual upgrades points cost in your list it is against forum rules.

Also don't put standard wargear in the list it makes it much harder to read.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
As for the list there's not much great in it.

Fireblade is mediocre only really worth it for the ML in a big unit of FWs which you have one of. But an Ethereal is cheaper and buffs multiple units.

Riptides should stick with Ion. Stims are also worth it if you have the points.

Crisis teams shouldn't mix weapons. They are your problem solvers. Work out what your list struggles against most and take Crisis suits to fill that gap. Take 2 fusion blasters and a flamer if you're poor against AV14. Double MP for antiAV12- or double plasma for killing heavy infantry (3 models pumping out 12 plasma shots hurts).

Firewarriors should be kept cheap. Units of 6-9 is the best option. Marker Drones should only ever be taken with a drone controller commander.

Pathfinders exist purely for markerlight never take any toys on them. Mark'o commanders and buffmanders are generally the better way to go.

Piranhas work best in bigger units you need at least 3 to be worth it. Though personally if I wanted fusion I would take it on suits not Piranhas.

Broadsides should ALWAYS have HYMPs they are just flat better. They need EWOs as well they are your AA and max missile drones is an auto-include too they are ridiculous for 12 points.

Also not a lot of point in carbines on FW.

Here is a revision, let me know what you think. I didn't realize how silly the missile drones are.

+++(1849pts) +++

+ HQ +

* Ethereal


+ Elites +

* XV104 Riptide
Early warning override, Ion accelerator, Stimulant injector, Twin-linked smart missile system


* XV104 Riptide
Early warning override, Ion accelerator, Stimulant injector, Twin-linked smart missile system


* XV8 Crisis Team
4x Crisis battlesuit, Plasma rifle, Twin-linked plasma rifle



+ Troops +

* Fire Warrior Team
9x Fire Warrior Shas'la with pulse rifle


* Fire Warrior Team
9x Fire Warrior Shas'la with pulse rifle


* Fire Warrior Team
9x Fire Warrior Shas'la with pulse rifle


+ Fast Attack +


* Pathfinder Team
* 6x Pathfinder Shas'la



* Pathfinder Team
* 6x Pathfinder Shas'la


* Pathfinder Team
* 6x Pathfinder Shas'la



+ Heavy Support +

* Sky Ray Missile Defense Gunship
Blacksun filter, 2x Networked markerlight, 6x Seeker missile, Twin-linked smart missile system, Velocity tracker



* XV88 Broadside Team
3x Broadside battlesuit, Early warning override, Twin-linked high-yield missile pod, Twin-linked smart missile system

* 6x Missile Drone


* XV88 Broadside Team
3x Broadside battlesuit, Early warning override, Twin-linked high-yield missile pod, Twin-linked smart missile system

* 6x Missile Drone

I actually quite like that. One question is the Crisis team you can only have 3 in a unit not four. So I don't know if that is a typo. You're low against AV14 and between 2 Riptides you have plenty of AP2 so I think fusion would be a better fit. Giving one a target lock so it can kill an extra tank.

Oh I don't have the codex yet, so I didn't know you were limited to 3. I like it too, its a good change from my mech Blood Angels