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.

Hi , i have been playing against a friend who is playing tau and every time i have played im pretty much getting tabled
Half the problem has been that i have just been putting together lists on the go as i havnt got much spare time at the moment .

But the other half of the problem is i am up against a crisis suit blob of on average 8 crisis suits with 2 drones each, packing missiles and plasma, all ignoring cover saves ,rerolls to hit ,splitfire and either shadow sun for a 2+ cover or a crisis suit tanking with 2+ with auto los ,and jumping in and out of cover .

im playing with space marines and imperial gaurd but only have older models from 4- 5th ie no flyers ect i also have some nids and eldar ,any help on how to deal with them would be brilliant as lossing model after model to a unit that dosnt require much skill to use is really no fun

Thanks in advance

Leman Russ Battle Tanks and others in a Phalanx? Deployed on a table edge so that the suits cannot drop behind them.
Then on your turn, use the Battle Cannons to good effect.

Otherwise? do you have vindicators? a callidus?

ian wrote:
Hi , i have been playing against a friend who is playing tau and every time i have played im pretty much getting tabled
Half the problem has been that i have just been putting together lists on the go as i havnt got much spare time at the moment .

But the other half of the problem is i am up against a crisis suit blob of on average 8 crisis suits with 2 drones each, packing missiles and plasma, all ignoring cover saves ,rerolls to hit ,splitfire and either shadow sun for a 2+ cover or a crisis suit tanking with 2+ with auto los ,and jumping in and out of cover .

im playing with space marines and imperial gaurd but only have older models from 4- 5th ie no flyers ect i also have some nids and eldar ,any help on how to deal with them would be brilliant as lossing model after model to a unit that dosnt require much skill to use is really no fun

Thanks in advance

Ignores Cover Weaponry is your first friend. So Imperial Guard Psykers can provide this ability to their tanks via Divination. Use this and drop AP 3 large blasts onto his head that are Presceinced and Ignore Cover. This works well. Do it a couple MORE times just because you're feeling honery.

Also: Ultra Marines do have Centurion Stars. a Librarian can make a unit invisible. a Tau Deathstar like that does NOT like invisible things.

Tau have no Psyker defense really. I would know. I;m primarily a Tau player. use that knowledge.

Total Roster Cost: 1991

: Primaris Psyker (1#, 75 pts)
1 Primaris Psyker, 75 pts = (Upgrade to Pysker Mastery Level 2)

Heavy Support: Deathstrike (1#, 175 pts)
1 Deathstrike, (+ Camo netting)

: Primaris Psyker (1#, 75 pts)
1 Primaris Psyker, 75 pts = (Upgrade to Pysker Mastery Level 2)

Heavy Support: Basilisk Battery (2#, 140 pts)
1 Basilisk, (+ Camo netting )

: Primaris Psyker (1#, 75 pts)
1 Primaris Psyker, 75 pts = (Upgrade to Pysker Mastery Level 2)

Heavy Support: Basilisk Battery (2#, 140 pts)
1 Basilisk, (+ Camo netting )


HQ: Company Command Squad (9#, 220 pts)
4 Veteran, Meltagun x4
1 Company Commander (Carapace Armour)
1 Taurox, (+ Heavy Stubber + Hunter-killer Missile + Smoke Launchers)
1 Astropath, 25 pts
1 Officer of The Fleet, 20 pts

Troops: Scout Squad (9#, 107 pts)
5 Scout Squad (+ Camo Cloaks+ Sniper Rifle x7 + Missile Launcher+ Flakk Missiles (for Missile Launcher)
1 Sergeant + Camo Cloaks


Troops: Veteran Squad (11#, 180 pts)
7 Veteran + Meltagun x3
1 Veteran Sergeant + Plasma Pistol
1 Veteran Heavy Weapons Team + Missile Launcher + Flakk Missiles (for Missile Launcher)
1 Taurox

Troops: Veteran Squad (11#, 180 pts)
7 Veteran + Meltagun x3
1 Veteran Sergeant + Plasma Pistol
1 Veteran Heavy Weapons Team + Missile Launcher + Flakk Missiles (for Missile Launcher)
1 Taurox


Fast Attack: Rough Riders (11#, 135 pts)
9 Rough Rider + Flamer x1
1 Rough Rider Sergeant, + Power Weapon + Melta Bombs

HQ: Chief Librarian Tigurius (1#, 165 pts)
1 Chief Librarian Tigurius

Heavy Support: Centurion Devastator Squad (4#, 330 pts)
3 Centurion Devastator Squad + Grav-cannon x2, 1x TL Lascannon
1 Centurion Sergeant + GravCannon


So this gives you three tools. First, Artillery to break up his formations and using Prescience and (one hopes) Perfect Timing, you'll more than do that. IN total, you'll start the game slinging 10 Psyker dice plus what you roll. Plenty enough for the job.

Since the DeathStrike Ignores Cover, you only really need, probably, one of hte other Psykers to get Perfect Timing to really make it work perfectly as the other Basilisk can handle models NOT in cover.

Tigurius has two targets for Invisibility: the Centurion Star when the enemy closes, and the Rough riders who can be sent forward as soon as the Deathstar comes into range. The Rough riders with Invisicbility are hilariously good at their job: killing one target dead is their specialty but with Invisibility, they can tie that unit up or break it with a fairly high percentage chance of success on the charge. Given the primary problem is just to shut the shooting down, they will be better than you could ever hope at it. Once caught in combat, those Tau Deathstars lose their value. since flamers ARE a possibility, it might be wise to use the Sniper Scouts to kill those models if possible or just charge the Rough riders in second behiond the scouts if they charge with you. Infiltrating the scouts can also put a damper on where the Deathstar can DS. if it doesnt DS, your artillery will eat them. The Centurion Star can be kept in reserve if you think the suits will DS on your artillery, and then just wipe them down to managfable size when they come in, followed by again, a charge by the waiting horsies.

So I think this could work for you.

Switch out Taurox for Chimera if you're working with the older models. Works perfectly fine both ways. Another basilisk instead of a Deathstrike will work if again you have none of the newer models. the rest you should be able to use from older collections. Tigurius is a librarian and rough riders have been around forever.

There are many different options. What forces do you possess?

 koooaei wrote:
There are many different options. What forces do you possess?

ian wrote:

im playing with space marines and imperial gaurd but only have older models from 4- 5th ie no flyers ect i also have some nids and eldar ,any help on how to deal with them would be brilliant as lossing model after model to a unit that dosnt require much skill to use is really no fun

Thanks in advance

Plasma, and Melta

Trollio14 wrote:
Plasma, and Melta

Included.

Vindicators and Leman Russ Demolishers.

Demolisher Cannons do not give a damn about anything. They will hit, and they will kill.

Surround your Vindicators/Demolishers with infantry and other cover providing things and then pepper the hell out of the Crisis blob with the rest of your army to reduce their shield drone numbers. Then hit them with an ID inducing Demolisher cannon and watch those 1's come up.

If nothing else, you will make the enemy very hesitant to move into your 24" bubble.

LR Main Battle Tanks and other IG artillery can probably also be used to good effect with this sort of approach.

Skyshield, can't beat a 4+ invul with ignores cover. Surround with blob squads and bring the rest in with flyers to grab backfield.

S8AP3. solves the issue easy.

Thanks for the info ,my last game i had ,
2 eradicators
20 guardsmen with las canon and heavy bolter
20 conscripts
3 morter squads
Ballisk

Runing as white scars
2 libearians with 2 physic powers each i got invisabilty on one guy
2x 9 man tact squad in rhinos
Whirlwind
Dev squad with 4 missiles
8 man bike squad with melta guns and multi melta

The trouble im finding is that barrage hasnt been the most reliable and with my eradicators he just puts his tank suit up front which means i need roughly 70 wounds just to kill his drones ,
If i go with ap 2 weapons he will just use his cover save and again its 70 wounds
Pyskers with divanation sounds gd but can i use it on tanks ?

So far i can only think of flamers from the rear ,buying a stormsword for some strengh 10 ap1 ignores cover or a detachment of tau and battle suits
Even with the 24 inch bubble he will just jump in range then jump out ,meaning i cant shoot my vindicator it really feels like im banging my head against a brick wall :(

Wyverns barrage is twin linked, and ignores cover.

ignore invisibility. if you are having trouble with barrage, prescience can be much more useful.

Tau hate CC. use those bikers to get into combat. Don't tool them up for ranged fighting. If you try the ranged game against tau, you're likely going to lose - and you are ignoring one of your army's strengths.

The list I gave solves the problem. Psykers make barrages at minimum worthwhile plus of course they work on vehicles.