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Since rumors have been starting to fly around about a potential codex update this year and new models coming I wanted to post my ideas for a tau decurion FOC. It seems as though formations are the new path that GW is going down I'm sure that GW do this to the new Tau dex.

I've been thinking that if they go down this route, Tau could use some added sub command type units to give the unit bonuses. Hear me out -

(based on rumors of a kroot minidex i have omitted kroot and vespid)

Tau - Decurion - Decurion Rules - All units in the decurion formations have night vision and all vehicles have built in drone controllers
You can choose 1 of either:
Infantry Core Cadre: - Core formation that takes an infantry approach - special rules granted by formation army wide - Re-roll warlord traits(from Codex Tau, BRB), Move through cover, Advanced Pulse Weapons (all pulse weapons have the blind and pinning rules)
1-2 Ethereal (only regular ethereals or Aun'va)
0-6 Cadre Fireblades
2-6 Firewarriors
0-6 Devilfish
0-4 Piranha squadrons - Can be upgraded to TX-42 variant

-OR-

Core Battlesuit Cadre: - Core formation that takes an infantry approach - special rules granted by formation army wide - Re-roll warlord traits(from Codex Tau, BRB), Move through cover, Defensive grenades
Rules still apply for selecting Farsight or Shadowsun.
1 Enforcer Crisis suit Commander - Shas'O (can be subbed for Farsight) - I'd like to see a clear distinction between Commanders in Enforcer Suits and regular crisis suits.
0-3 Crisis Suit Captains - Shas'El - new Unit - GW could make some cash producing subcommander that would slot in-between a Shas'vre upgrade and proper commander.
2-4 full Crisis Suit Teams
1 Stealthsuit Commander in upgraded stealth armor - A new HQ unit in Shadowsun-like armor that offers some command bonuses (Can be subbed for Shadowsun)
1-2 Stealth Suit Teams

Command Formations: Choose between 0 to 1.
Ethereal Command Cadre: (Close combat squad with expanded ethereal abilities and close combat abilities) - special rules granted by formation - Micro shield generators(5++), FNP, Eternal Warrior
1 Aun'shi (boost his useability)
0-2 Ethereals
2-4 Ethereal Guards (similar to the ones that guard Aun'va)

Auxilliary Formations: Choose between 1-10 formations

Assault Cadre: - special rules granted by formation - Crusader, Advanced VRT's (Fleet, Hit and Run, and 3d6 jetpack movement)
1-3 Crisis Suit Captains - Shas'El
1-3 Crisis Suit Teams
0-3 Hazard Teams (fix weapons, lots of complaints about them and pricing)

Firebase Support Cadre: - special rules granted by formation - Skilled Hunters (Choose between one of the following per Unit per turn - Monster hunters, Tank hunters, Sky Hunters(skyfire)), Relentless
2-4 teams(1-3 models) of broadsides, no drone requirements

Air Caste Support Cadre: - special rules granted by formation - Agile, Missile Lock, Air to Ground Support (all weapons have Pinning)
1-2 Razorsharks,
0-4 Sunsharks
IF FW items move to core 40k then I'd like to see
0-2 Barracudas

Silent Hunter Cadre: - special rules granted by formation - Micro shield generators(5++), Sharp Shooters (BS increased to 4), Rending shots(burst cannons have rending)
0-1 Stealthsuit sub-commander in upgraded stealth armor - A new HQ unit in Shadowsun-like armor (Can be subbed for Shadowsun)
1 squad of Stealth suits (drones optional)

Hidden Path Cadre:- special rules granted by formation - Stealth, Sharp Shooters (BS increased to 4)
0-1 Darkstrider ( make him better, beefier)
NEW 0-4 Cadre "Ghosts" - New unit - Cadre fireblade type unit with a pathfinder bent.
2-4 Pathfinders squads (drones optional)
0-4 Devilfish
0-2 Tetra squads

Armored Assault Cadre:- special rules granted by formation - Tank Commander(nominate a vehicle to be the commander of the formation. As long as he lives, all units have the Skilled Hunters rule (Choose between one of the following per Unit per turn - Monster hunters, Tank hunters, Sky Hunters(skyfire))
2-4 Hammerheads
0-4 Skyrays
0-4 Piranha squadrons - Can be upgraded to TX-42 variant
2-4 Lionfish(Devilfish with FW hammerhead turrets that only carries 6 models)
0-4 Tetra squads

Drone Support Cadre:- special rules granted by formation - Quick Strike Squads(Drones are broken down into smaller squads for this formation max 4 drones per squad), Selfless Automatons(Drones are fearless), Long Range Controllers (Drone Commander controls drones and gives bonuses but does not have to be in unit coherency - as long as he lives the drones get bonuses, if he dies drones revert to normal functions)
1-3 Drone commanders (use model from the stealth drone team)
Each commander can control up to 3 squads
Gun Drone Squad
Marker Drone Squad
Sniper Drone Squad
NEW - Flamer Drone Squad
Missile Drone Squad
Shielded Missile Drone Squad
If FW Included -
Remora Drone Squadron
Heavy Gun Drone Squad

The Killing Blow Cadre:- No drones (fix the rules and power levels/costs for the FW units) - special rules granted by formation - NONE
1-3 Riptides
0-3 Y'varhas (sort out Nova charge abilities)
0-3 R'varnas(fix weapons, maybe have the guns swappable for D strength rail guns - no tau units have d-str outside of FW fliers)


Death from Above Cadre: - special rules granted by formation - NONE
1-2 Tigersharks (any variant)

Slotted in Tetras and moved remoras to drone formation

Added formation bonuses

IMO - the last thing this game needs is more formations that give free bonuses to units to make them strong - or in decurions case OP.

How about just price these units accordingly to their power and every unit in the game is viable. Synergy should come from the army lists creator - not a manufactured list of must takes.

 Xenomancers wrote:
IMO - the last thing this game needs is more formations that give free bonuses to units to make them strong - or in decurions case OP.

How about just price these units accordingly to their power and every unit in the game is viable. Synergy should come from the army lists creator - not a manufactured list of must takes.

Well GW has already opened the flood gates. All new codies are moving to this format or at least to the multiple formations format. So this is a just what I'd like to see happen to Tau when they get updated.

I want mobility, wider use of units, FW inclusion to main tau dex to shore up tau deficiencies ( IMO tau are light on choices and units so including FW into the main tau dex gets more people buying more models which is a win for GW and gets more unit types on the table which make playing tau and against tau more interesting. This is especially important if they remove kroot and make a kroot minidex)

Not Ethereals. Ethereals are rare, not something that should be in a "stock" Tau military force.

Alcibiades wrote:
Not Ethereals. Ethereals are rare, not something that should be in a "stock" Tau military force.

I've always thought that ethereals were usually sent to observe tau military campaigns and offer guidance or act as a rallying point.

If I'm mistaken then then I'd love to see a non-battlesuit commander type unit. Maybe a command devilfish with the commander in the turret like Longstrike.

According to the fluff, an Ethereal is always sent with each army to "ensure" their "spiritual health". So much so that protocol is to turn back if all the Ethereals have been killed. Hence the bug bear with Farsight.