TAU - Hammerhead or Riptide?

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**Iapedus**

So Im building a 1000pt list and kind of feel that at this point level it is either a Riptide or Hammerhead - what would you recommend?

Rest of the list would be a commander / firewarriors-kroot / crisis team / broadside mix.

**koooaei**

Riptide for a stronger list. Hammerhead for less hate.

**EmpNortonII**

koooaei wrote:
Riptide for a stronger list. Hammerhead for less hate.

Makes me sad... I love the Hammerhead.

1 Riptide at 1k isn't that bad. At 500 it'd be completely douchey. 750 very questionable... douchey at 1000 points is using a Trans C'tan... or more then two Wave Serpents, or mostly LRBTs.

**DaKKaLAnce**

I love hammerheads.... But let me point out .... I can never do ANYTHING with it. 1 hit ones just dont work well for me, so if you get it, don't get the rail cannon... You will never hit with it lol

**Iapedus**

I take it then that if you are going to use the hammerhead it is probably worth also going with Longstrike for the BS5 & tank hunter, taking the sun munitions for the Rail gun and changing out the drones for TL SMS for multiple overwatch & just so you have something to shoot if the big gun fails?

**Afro Tau**

I would say hammerhead as with the new dark Eldar being so good at killing monsters I think the tank will in handy

**zerosignal**

they also have haywire blasters though... :s

**astro_nomicon**

I've said it before and I'll say it again. . .Farsight Enclaves Riptide with HBC/ECPA/VT. Reliably threatens anything but AV14 and is tougher to take down than a Hammerhead. AV14 duty is best left to teams of 2 deepstriking crisis suits with fusion blasters.

**Vector Strike**

Riptide is the best deal. Skyray is a better deal than Hammerhead nowadays

**barnowl**

Iapedus wrote:
I take it then that if you are going to use the hammerhead it is probably worth also going with Longstrike for the BS5 & tank hunter, taking the sun munitions for the Rail gun and changing out the drones for TL SMS for multiple overwatch & just so you have something to shoot if the big gun fails?

If I have the points of Longstrike I run him. My railhead is normally equipped with a Disruption pod, SMS, Submunition, and Longstrike. If I can squeeze it in Fletch for assaulter and Sensor Spines so I can hide in terrain and not have to jink.

**Taffy17**

Hammerhead < Riptide < Longstrike

Longstrike will kill anything short of flyers and doesn't require markerlight support. With a Railgun he'll insta kill lone characters and any tanks, with the ion cannon he'll stuff things like Eldar wraith units and marines. He's cheaper than a Riptide and his multi-overwatch is invaluable in a gunline.

**wuestenfux**

As said, the Riptide is a much better investment.
Versatile and very shooty.

**Iapedus**

EmpNortonII wrote:
Makes me sad... I love the Hammerhead.

I know, I love the model too - who doesn't enjoy a great big gun?

Most of you seem to suggest Riptide though so I will look at fitting one in, probably with Ion Accelerator, TL Fusion Blaster, EWO and Stim Injector or something similar.

I could always look at making room for both, but at 1000pts that's going to get a lot of hate, right? I don't want to ruin my opponents day, but I guess I already have by playing Tau

**azazel70820**

I would go both also. But my opinion on Hammerhaed has always been to go with the Ion Cannon over the Rail. Its cheaper in points and is just more productive. That AP 3 Large Blast is just nuts for only 125 pts. Use two marker lights to drop there cover save and you can come close to wipeing entire units in one shot. THe Rail Gun I find just doesnt do enough. By the time you add Longstrike you are at close to 200 pts and isnt even close to the firepower as a Riptide.

**Taffy17**

Iapedus wrote:
I know, I love the model too - who doesn't enjoy a great big gun?

Most of you seem to suggest Riptide though so I will look at fitting one in, probably with Ion Accelerator, TL Fusion Blaster, EWO and Stim Injector or something similar.

I could always look at making room for both, but at 1000pts that's going to get a lot of hate, right? I don't want to ruin my opponents day, but I guess I already have by playing Tau

I run a Riptide, like that but with VT instead of Stims, and Longstrike at 1000pts. People expect a Riptide these days cause their great and the Hammerhead is the go to battle tank of the Tau so your not gonna get hate for either unless you spam them. The rest of my list is pretty bread and butter (no cheese :p) and its not an auto win just cause i've got rippy and Longstrike.