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I'm a Tau player. My FLGC has a lot of folk who run close combat armies and I'm getting whipped on a regular basis.

This is my cunning plan -



If I've worked it out right, with the Fireblade attached to the front squad and the Ethereal hiding in the devilfish, if the space marine were to declare a charge he'd be facing 88 snap shots (I suppose I could detach the gun drones for a extra few).

I only have to worry about blast templates, considering getting a aegis defense line.

Now, is it as cunning as a fox what used to be Professor of Cunning at Oxford University but has moved on and is now working for the U.N. at the High Commission of International Cunning Planning?

Not sure how you're getting to 88 (be careful of crazy-haired old men in Deloreans), by my math it's 75 (2x12 Firewariors, plus one Fireblade, shooting three shots each - the Fireblade's ability only works during the Shooting Phase).

You should be able to spread them out a bit more - they only need to be within 12" of the Devilfish to get the Ethereal bonus (unfortunately it's on a model-by-model basis, but I suppose that would be a bit too good otherwise).

An Aegis would be good, as it would also ensure a -2 to the charge range if they come at you from the front (due to charging through difficult terrain, although some things will ignore that).

I'm surprised you're having so much difficulty, what size games do you normally play and what's the rest of your army?

 Quanar wrote:
the Fireblade's ability only works during the Shooting Phase

Does it? DAMNIT! Oh well, 75 is still a lot

I've got a 1500pt army. I'm having difficulty because I've only played about 15 games and I'm still learning the rules (and learning what my shooting priorities are).

a konga line of kroot around/in front of firewarriors has been a defensive strat vs melee armies, works good

There is a far better one using Darkstrider and pathfinders

Have them set up beind the first line of fire warrior or kroot.

Then when they overwatch they get there free movement.

Move them infront of the kroot through 1" openings

to block off the charge.

.... Get rekd.

Note that this is silly and almost never happen.

OR they just get shot at. but if thats how your meta works then dooooo eeeeeet

75 snap shots isn't going to be enough against anything actually scary in CC. Think about it. A sixth of them will hit; so let's be generous and say 13 hits. You're S5, so let's be generous again and say 10 of those wound. What's charging you probably gets a save; and that save is probably good. Ultimately, if you're lucky, you'll kill 3ish models, and then the rest will paste you.

What you need to be doing is incorporating units into your army that are designed to take charges. These could be kroot, or piranhas, drones or my preferred option, an ally like Necron Wraiths.

Eh, the first badly shot up unit of 2 surviving Orks charges and dies to 75 overwatch attacks.

Then the giant mob behind him swarms in and krumps some fishfaced gits

Pathfinders within 6" of the first squad to get you a few marker lights is good, 1 marker light will double the amount of hits you get, a few more would be even better!

An aegis would -2 to the charge range of anyone who tries to charge you as well.

The kroot bubble wrap is a good idea as well as suggested.

As someone else suggested put darkstrider in the from squad meaning they have to account for the aegis AND his retreat move.

Don't disregard longstrike either, getting charged by multiple units? he can shoot all of them on overwatch, not just one!

Bang em on top of a skyshield landing pad, who needs -2 to charge distances when you can make them move further just to get to the stairs!

You're probably better off trying to get more shooting in during your shooting phase, than trying to kill him with overwatch.

for more fun with overwatch, how about longstrike in a ionhead (+SMS) and\or Point Defense Targeting Relays on your devilfish\skyrays?

Also, as someone who has played Tau quite often with assault armies, dont forget your defensive grenades.

Many Tau players I play against forget that their troops have these, and they are awesome in your benefit. Also remember that you can use marker lights to increase your BS in overwatch. So if there is a unit of pathfinders nearby and they get supporting fire, fire their marker lights first.

Also, pinning on pathfinders is a thing. Has saved my ass on more than a few occasions.