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WOW that is huge.

What a monstrosity! Stylistically it looks *great*, but from what I can see it is a bit under-gunned for a super heavy. It could do with some smaller weapons on the sides of the turret, it being a super heavy that can fire every weapon at different targets and all that. Looks like that could still be added in as a feature too.

I love that model, but conceptually speaking, the Tau mount all of their super heavy weaponry on their flyers. It almost makes no sense to have a pure walker in their arsenal as even suits have jet packs. It is also presumably slow and that doesn't fit with the Tau combat doctrine either.

I hope that in the background and rules writing exercise that some form of justification can be created such as no space left for hover engines to be installed and super thick armour and shielding means no excess power available to power it. Better yet, give it a specific purpose such as a Hive siege engine where flyers mounting super heavy weaponry is not feasible.

As for a name, it should have something completely unique as it breaks away from traditional Tau doctrine.

I could see them get a bigger walker for urban scenarios.

I am not quite sure on this one. While I normally support Tau Mechas, this one costs almost as much as two Tiger Sharks with the weapon output of just one and less mobility. Out of my price range as well.

I am also not sure about putting the symbols of all 5 castes on the model, with the ethereal sign on a back leg.
But maybe this model is an incentive to make Tau like buildings and terrain

Hi everyone, I'm the creator of this kit and after reading through this thread I really felt the need to make a few comments:

1. If you have to bring up the stuff about Tau not having titans and blah blah blah then obviously this kit isn't for you. I created it because I wanted to make a massive Tau walker to use in Apocalypse games because flyers are boring. That's it. If you're going to take fictional practicality over aesthetics then that's your loss.

2. The legs are each composed of 10 pieces and can be posed in any position desired. The pose in those pics is actually kind of weird - I intended for it to have a more hunched down feel.

3. The price is way cheaper than a Warhound titan, yet it's bigger and heavier. Pretty good value for money to me...

4. Cookies to the guys who have picked up the GitS similarities. The Shirow walking tank designs were a huge influence.

5. C'mon, these names are terrible! You're all just grabbing all of the same names everyone uses for their custom Tau units! The best suggestions have been from MajorTom11 - I do like Tsunami

6. The caste symbols are nothing to do with the kit - that's just how Mark is painting his one.

7. I think I stuffed up the points cost - it's supposed to be 750 points. The rules were written by somebody who really knows what they're doing so I wouldn't bother arguing them.

For those after a scale pic, check out this (a shot done before the kit was completed):

good job....very goood job

BF44042 wrote:I love that model, but conceptually speaking, the Tau mount all of their super heavy weaponry on their flyers. It almost makes no sense to have a pure walker in their arsenal as even suits have jet packs. It is also presumably slow and that doesn't fit with the Tau combat doctrine either.

I hope that in the background and rules writing exercise that some form of justification can be created such as no space left for hover engines to be installed and super thick armour and shielding means no excess power available to power it. Better yet, give it a specific purpose such as a Hive siege engine where flyers mounting super heavy weaponry is not feasible.

As for a name, it should have something completely unique as it breaks away from traditional Tau doctrine.

While I agree with your analysis it should be noted that Pathfinders, Sniper Drones, Ethereals and Broadsides are all relatively slow moving units compared to the rest of the Tau army. There is a role for slow units in the "making an ambush" form of Tau tactical doctrine. (I can't remember its official name.)

It is cool, but Tau usually have fish names. Hammerhead is already used, how about a Thresher class heavy walker?

Ouze wrote:Why not just the SXV-141 Cave Demon? Is Kenyan Mangrove Crab not awesome sounding enough?

FTFY

"Nautilus" SXV-141 Super-heavy Assault Walker" sounds awesome, i love the model you should definitely keep making larger models!

In keeping with the larger flyers and craft from Gothic - I suggest the 'Rampart' Superheavy walker.

Whew, go to sleep for a few hours and the post stack up.

While Tau are a mobile battle force, I could really see them using these to defend thier largest colonies and cities. How the heck would a manta or tigershark/baracuda defend a skyscraper city? If a Tyranid Bio-titan/Imperial Titan is rampaging in a Tau city, do you send in strafers, or something that can move in the urban dwelling with ease?

Zac and I will have to think hard on a nick-name, maybe some of the non-mythical names will take the pie.

Now that I have seen Zacs talent in the flesh, maybe we can get him to do some "paladins" or "knights"?

The rail gun is 2-3 times the size of the largest one gw does FYI, its not a recast and the last I checked a railgun design precursors GWs idea of one.

Nick

Would it be possible to see some size comparison pics?

Like a crisis suit next to the thing?

SXV-141 "Penetrator" Super-Heavy Assault Walker

MadCowCrazy wrote:Would it be possible to see some size comparison pics?

Like a crisis suit next to the thing?

On the first page of the post there is a picture of a stealthsuit next to the main torso of the vehicle.

BATTLECRAB

Alternately, and on a more serious note, why not a prehistoric monster?

I propose the following:
Kronosaur
Pliosaur
Titanite (a form of giant ammonite, the evolutionary predecessor of the Nautilus)

Call it...

Dagon

The Dagon class walker super heavy tanks.

Fish Defiler?

Hmmmm, while the rules for it right now are semi-balanced, they get to that point by upping firepower (a tad compared to a similarly priced warhound) while taking away the typical 3 void shields you get.

I'm going to start a thread on this in the proposed rules section just to tweak those a tad. This is definitely NOT a counts as Warhound but the current rules make this an alpha-striker coming out of reserve and not something that could stalk about the battlefield...

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/297657.page#1620485

ProtoClone wrote:Call it...

Dagon

The Dagon class walker super heavy tanks.

I like it. I like the walker, too. Shame (or blessing?) that I don't play Tau.

I say Kraken, because Kraken makes me think of a beast that breaks open ships.

Like this thing lseems to be able to break open tanks.

I like kraken.

Now we need to make a thread asking serious Tau players to try and gametest points and rules for this thing. Maybe include them on the website as well.
Or should we let everybody swing it as they see fit with it having different home rules everywhere?

Deepwater Horizon Heavy Assault Mecha...too soon?
( if you have no Idea what I'm talking about you are not from the South East United States or don't watch the news much)

Looks very good but the price is a bit step especially with shipping not included.

I really dont get the remarks that it is expensive. This kit is larger then a warhound titan and cheaper as well. What are you comparing this kit too and saying its more expensive?

Nick

This is an idea for chapterhouse on what would be a cool sort of "support" for this Titan. These are really simple sketches, but if you want I could do better ones. Presumably there would be a way to attach support weapons to the models, I was thinking a turret built into the back. If you like the idea, I would be happy to show more detailed drawings. If you don't, pretend this never happened....



Oh, and I guess the little stick figure would be about the size of a dreadnaught.

Nautilus is a great name. It fits the with "fish" theme they have going. Looks great also.

I like...but I sold my Tau army long ago...

Being a super-heavy walker...Any chance of optional torsos? Like demonic? Or CSM?

I can 'choasify' the legs myself...




Automatically Appended Next Post:

Chapterhouse wrote:I really dont get the remarks that it is expensive. This kit is larger then a warhound titan and cheaper as well. What are you comparing this kit too and saying its more expensive?

Nick

It's not...

Read the comment again..
If shipping was included it would be about right...
no shipping included it is a bit high, though just a bit.

Look I'm not opposed to dropping big coin on large models (I Have Raver, Thunderhawk, and several Tigersharks, several Vultures, even a formation of Dread drop pods...)

One thing that sets them apart is , the fine details ( interior work on all of them with crew,usually or removable /upgradable modular weapons... hint hint), Some what flushed out rules ( points cost , armor should be same value all the way around, If using heavy rail gun Str D Ap 1) and most of the time if you spend over XXX $$$/GPB/Euro the shipping is thrown in which with tax in the USA can be the tipping factor for sales.

Just suggestions... $200-250 would be about right in my eyes. Just remember what happened with the RoB table. at $100 it would have sold crazy well, even at $150-175 possibly $200... at $290 it's basically as rare as a Unicorn.

just my 2cents.

Klawz wrote:This is an idea for chapterhouse on what would be a cool sort of "support" for this Titan. These are really simple sketches, but if you want I could do better ones. Presumably there would be a way to attach support weapons to the models, I was thinking a turret built into the back. If you like the idea, I would be happy to show more detailed drawings. If you don't, pretend this never happened....



Oh, and I guess the little stick figure would be about the size of a dreadnaught.

War of the Worlds much?

Hive Fleet names? I don't like the idea of it.

Just have it suit name. Or something close to the big daddy of the broadside.

Looks real nice though