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Greetings all, I've been planning on finally putting together my tau forces for a tournament later this month and wanted to run the list past the internet for opinons.

I've been pretty enamoured with the idea of the farsight bomb+shadowsun and have built my list around that idea. (credit to Theorius for the loadout style from his thread on the topic.)

so here goes:

Commander Farsight (165pts)
Commander Shadowsun
-Cmd drone, 2 shield drones (195pts)

Crisis Bodyguard Team
Bodyguard with the works, i.e. Vectored retro-thrusters; Drone controller; Neuroweb System Jammer; Repulsor impact field; CnC node; Puretide Engram Neurochip; Multi-spectrum Sensor Suit;
Bodyguard target lock Plasma Plasma
Bodyguard target lock Plasma Plasma
Bodyguard target lock Plasma Plasma
Bodyguard target lock Fusion Blaster Fusion Blaster
Bodyguard target lock Missile Pod Missile Pod
Bodyguard target lock Missile Pod Missile Pod
+8 gun drones (605pts)

12 Fire Warriors (108pts)

12 Fire Warriors (108pts)

20 Kroot Carnivores
Shaper (135pts)

6 Pathfinders
Markerlights (66pts)

4 Pathfinders
Markerlights (44pts)

HammerHead
Sub rounds, smart missile sys, disruption pod
cmdr longstrike (191pts)

Sky Ray
Velocity Tracker, Smart missile sys, disruption pod
(130pts)

link to a nicer looking version Here.

So there you have it. The plan is to eliminate main threats to the deathstar as fast as possible (demolisher pie plates, precision shots, etc ) and dance the unit in and out in front of the opponents forces. Pathfinders will try and provide some markerlights at targets that really need to die, with the fire warriors and kroot providing bodies on ground. The skyray is in there to deal with the possibility of flier shenanigans and a few more markerlights.
I am considering stripping some upgrades or extra guys to try and fit in a riptide somewhere as I just acquired one.

I realize that this list is less 'competitive' and more 'taking all the cool things to play' with, so any suggestions of how to better the list while keeping the theme?

Cheers

There have been plenty of FarSun threads where I've made my position known; but I'll give you the reader's digest:

There's enough ignore cover around these days that Shadowsun's Stealth&Shrouded is somewhat diminished. This isn't the only problem. By taking her, you must place all the buffs on a 2W Bodyguard. TFCs are very common these days. You also need to worry about Manticores from Guard, Biovores from Nids, any type of barrage weapon. The bodyguard isn't a character. He can't LOS the wounds that go on him. He's going to fail his 3+s.

The solution? Take a Buffmander instead. Now he's 4W. Doubles your durability. And, nice little bonus is now all your drones are BS5 from his controller. That's good, because you're going to have to trade some gun drones for shield drones to weather one round of AP2 from an Ion Accelerator or the like.

Lastly, you need Tigurius. Without gate, you'll need to deep strike, leaving you at the mercy of reserves rolls and robbing you of precious shooting rounds. Even with an Aegis+Comms relay; you're still losing at least T1. AND; the bomb's worst enemy is intercepting Ion Accelerators; which are everywhere in tournaments. By arriving from reserve, you are subject to their wrath. Gate of Infinity protects you from that. You've got a 75% chance at it. Severin Loth can guarantee Gate, but that's only if Forge World is allowed.

Ok, that's the bomb. Now on to how to support it.

You don't need markerlights in a bomb list. Any points spent on anything other than scoring or fire support is wasted. Things that synergize well:

Skyrays: The bomb lacks AA. You need 2 of these.

Kroot: Duh.

Missilesides: They're a source of EWO; double as AA in a pinch and have very versatile shooting. They can pop transports, but also have the volume of fire to take out high-wound count units. The bomb is going to be focused on killing elite things, these can focus on whittling down Tac Marines, Necron Warriors, etc.

You won't have points for much else; here's a revised list for 1750; my way:

Primary Detachment: Tau Empire

Farsight
Crisis Bodyguard: Plasma Rifle x2, Target Lock- 67
Crisis Bodyguard: Plasma Rifle x2, Target Lock- 67
Crisis Bodyguard: Plasma Rifle x2, Target Lock- 67
Crisis Bodyguard: Plasma Rifle x2, Target Lock- 67
Crisis Bodyguard: Missile Pod x2, Target Lock- 67
Crisis Bodyguard: Fusion Blaster x2, Target Lock- 67
Crisis Bodyguard: Fusion Blaster x2, Target Lock- 67
Shield Drones x6- 72
Gun Drones x9- 108
Crisis Commander: Multi-spectrum Suite, Command and Control Node, Puretide Engram Chip, Vectored Rectro-thrusters, Drone Controller- 148

Kroot x10: Hound- 65
Kroot x10- 60

Broadsides x3: x3 EWO- 210
Skyray: BSF- 116
Skyray: BSF- 116

Secondary Detachment: Space Marines

Tigurius

Scouts x5

Total: 1749

I would follow Shrikes advice.

I'm only worried about the survivability the scoring units. Just play smart.

Yeah Shrikes list is pretty much perfect though personally I'd swap Tigirius for Severin Loth why roll hoping for Gate when you can guarantee it?

I'm less convinced in the Shadowsun vs Buffmander debate and will say it depends on meta. The more ignores cover and barrage in your meta the better the buffmander looks.

Otherwise listen to everything The Shrike has said about running the Farsight bomb. Pathfinders and big units of FWs have NO place in the bomb.

Thanks for the feedback, gate is an interesting option, especially in combo with Farsight's no scatter on deepstrike warlord trait. The vulnerability of the BuffGuard and taking a Buffmander instead of Shadowsun is an issue I'm going to have to weigh-up as theme vs competitiveness.

Cheers again!

Yeah I usually advise Tigurius and just put a caveat about "Of course, if Forge World is allowed, Loth all the way." If it's 1750.....he's probably west coast; so Loth is probably a go.