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So I'm a CSM (Black Legion) player. There is an increasingly large number of Tau armies appearing in the store I play at. When I play against them. What should my target priority be? What should I take out first? Riptides? Broadsides? Thoughts and tips appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I would start with anything that has markerlights. They buff the army in so many ways. Once they are gone, the army as a whole becomes much more manageable.

Markerlights (pathfinders/marker drones) make Tau shooting even deadlier, so I'd focus them. Then it kinda depends on what kind of army you play

1. Markerlights - Can buff the whole army, usually on squishy bodies like Pathfinders.

2. Ethereals - Buffs all infantry shooting and gives all Tau Ld 10 in a bubble. He turns scared Firewarriors into Space Marine Sergeants.

3. Crisis Suits - While tougher than the other two, they usually mounted with plasma, melta, or missiles. Ignore these guys and your going to be missing tanks/elite units if they are in units of three. If they have a buff commander, they will be the biggest thorn in your side.

+1 on taking out marker lights. After that It also depends on what army you have. If you have a lot of cultists and vehicles, the broadsides are worse. Meqs and teqs are more scared of riptides.

Markerlights are target A, pure and simple. After that, things with AP 3 or better, which means crisis suits more often than not.

Riptides are special case things, best tied up with a tarpit, but they can be killed if you have the right firepower mix. You'll have to judge the approach that works best yourself.

I'd have to add to the general consensus. Tau live and die on their synergy between units, individually (with the exception of their typical deathstar units and riptides) they are not really that hot.

So target marker light units first, ethereal and tau commanders second, and whatever else you feel like after that. (typically whatever is most threatening from the remaining shooting like crisis suits or broadsides)

Riptides are a special case: do not bother shooting at them despite their effects until you've dealt with the squishier enhancing aspects of the tau army first. They are great bullet magnets, and good tau players will use them as such.

And what if Tau player's army includes only: Buffmander, Riptides, Broadsides, Kroots, Jetseer, Jetbikes?
Also include the fact, that kroots and bikes are in reserve. What is left are Broadsides, Riptides and some support (Buffmander, Jetseer).
I myself prefer to focus Broadsides. The reason why might be because I am playing Mechdar and don't really even care THAT much about Iontides.

What would YOU focus first in this scenario? Assume that both HQ joined the Riptides and troops are still in reserve.



This might be a little bit too much for a standard game but this kind of lists one are of the hardest for me when it comes to target priority and I'm just being curious what your opinions are.

In that specific scenario? The majority of my firepower would likely focus on the buff-mander and it's accompanying unit first. I'd then work my way through the broadsides and any kroot that come in off of reserves.

That said, a lot of the above depends on my army as well, not to mention the rolls in the game and other factors.