How is the XV109 Riptide best used?

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**CREEEEEEEEED**

So today I tried the new forge world riptide out for the first time in a 1000 point card mission, and as you can probably guess from the title, my game didn't go as planned. I went second against DE (never good) and by my turn two I had no left flank and only one stealth suit in the centre of the board (but he still had the homing beacon). So I got to drop my XV109 in the centre, and it farted, killing a mandrake and three kabalite warriors. Then in shooting I double flamed the mandrakes and killed all of the 8 remaining. Then I thrust up to claim objective 2, one of my cards. Then in turn three the still 20 strong unit of kabalite warriors poisoned it to death. In the end I lost 9/4 and only had my razor shark and 4 pathfinders left on the board (the DE player only had his lord, one unit of 10 kabalite warriors, and three more from the unit that started the game at thirty, 'cause the razor shark is dirty).

As you can see, I need a bit of help, for extra info, here's my list in that game:
HQ
Crisis commander
Multi spectrum thing
Fusion blaster
Vectored escape thing

Troops
3x12 fire warriors with 'Uis and blacksun filters

Elites
Stealth suits
Fusion
Markerlight drone

Fast attack
10 Pathfinders with 'Ui, blacksun filter, 3xrail rifles, grav inhibitor

XV109
Stim injectors (forgot these, may have made a difference, but probably not)

Razorshark
Missile pod instead of burst cannon
2 seekers

**Frozocrone**

As a Dark Eldar player this pleases me greatly

In all seriousness, another Riptide (either standard with IA or R'Varna) would compliment the first Riptide well.

However, I'm not one for advocating Riptides, Broadsides and Crisis Suits have way, way more dakka and they terrify me to pieces if a Tau player goes first.

Have you also considering replacing the Pathfinders with Marker Drones? Attach the Commander to it with Drone Controller and the Signature System that gives TL and you've suddenly got ~8 Markerlights that are TL firing at BS5 (my Tau friend loves his Buffmander).

Reason I say that is Cover is essentially the DE armour save. If you take away cover with accurate Markerlights you've essentially just killed a unit.

**CREEEEEEEEED**

Forgive me Dakka, for I have sinned.
Sorry I was slow on the reply, I got banned for two days, probably for my copious wearing.
Well I have learnt my lesson, and hopefully it won't happen again.

In terms of your advice, I like your drone squad suggestion, as I have 20-something unused gun drones
lying around. In terms of crisis suits, I've know I need more for a while.
Thanks for your suggestions.

**kingbobbito**

Sadly, I feel like you're not bringing the right riptide to that party. I tend to hate the one you're using as it is the ultimate marine/terminator destroyer, what with the ap2. Against eldar, whose armor is laughable, it's just overkill. You need to get up nice and close to use it, their poison will wreck you, you've got 1 less wound and you cost more points.

In this situation either a standard riptide or broadsides is better. Greater range, more wounds, and potentially a lot more kills. Sure, they can use cover now, but you can stay out of their range.

If you are going to stick with your riptide though, I'd say to choose your positioning wisely. It's a torrent, which means it can sneakily fire around corners and such. Does your table have much cover that it can hide behind, or nothing that tall?

**Nilok**

If it activate its Vectored Thrust Array, shouldn't it get Hard to Hit to protect it from some shooting?

Regardless, you should abuse your Escape Thrust nova power. The rule stays in effect until the start of your next turn, and is a may ability that triggers at the start of the movement phase. Simply activate Escape Thrust and save it for the start of your opponent's turn. That way the Y'vahra gets a full turn on the field, finishing everything it needs to do, then jumps off the board before you can be shot at.

The order should be as follows.
1. Use your Vectored Thrust Array to move you into a good position and burn/EMP things.
2. Laugh as your opponent tries to Snap Shot the T6 pseudo FMC.
3a. Activate your Escape Thrust.
(3b. Or fail to activate your Escape Thrust)
4. Move 6" and burn/EMP something else.
5a. Laugh harder while using Escape Thrust on your opponent's Movement Phase and do it all over again next turn.
(5b. Or cry as your Y'vahra is punched in the face by his army.)

**CREEEEEEEEED**

Kingbobbito, in terms of the broadsides or riptide I don't have the money, but when I do, I'll probably go for three broadsides with missile stuff. With the terrain, at my FLGS we tend to play with sparse terrain made up of low buildings and forests, but there are some bigger bits we never use, so I could ask that we set it up that way.
Nilok, I have looked at it and from what I can tell you have pound the perfect loophole, all I have to do now is remember to use the damn thing.