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Hi All,

Long time wargamer coming back to Tau and 40k. Haven't played Tau since they were first released as a faction back in 3rd edition, but decided to get back into 40k with some close friends.

The list is still quite rough, I'm still digesting all the changes in 7th edition, such as formations, as well as the plethora of options that Tau now seem to have. The list isn't meant to be ultra competitive, just (hopefully) sound and using models that I'm a fan of. I've made two lists, as my friends and I are trying to do a Tale of 4 Gamers style challenge where we start at 500pts and flesh out from there. I've just made a 1000pt list as well as I'd like to have an idea where my army is heading purchase, hobby and game wise =]

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, apologies in advance if I have posted anything incorrectly!

--------------- Please see revised list in below comments =] -----------------------


The 500pt List
++ Tau Empire: Codex (2015) (Combined Arms Detachment) (499pts) ++

Farsight Enclaves
····Rules: Battlesuit Spearhead, Ork Hunters, Preferred Enemy, Ta'lissera Bond

+ HQ (182pts) +

Commander (182pts) [2x MV4 Shield Drone]
····Rules: Independent Character, Supporting Fire, Very Bulky
····XV8 Commander Crisis Suit [Advanced Targeting System, Cyclic Ion Blaster, Plasma Rifle, Stimulant Injector, Talisman of Arthas Moloch]

+ Troops (317pts) +

XV8 Crisis Battlesuits (159pts) [Bonding Knife Ritual]
····Rules: Bonding Knife Ritual, Supporting Fire, Very Bulky
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Plasma Rifle]
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Plasma Rifle]
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Plasma Rifle]

XV8 Crisis Battlesuits (158pts) [Bonding Knife Ritual, 2x MV1 Gun Drone]
····Rules: Bonding Knife Ritual, Supporting Fire, Very Bulky
····Crisis Shas'ui [Airbursting Fragmentation Projector, Burst Cannon]
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Burst Cannon]
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Burst Cannon]

The idea here is to keep things pretty simple in 500pts. The commander will join the plasma suits for up close and personal power armour melting, while the team with burst cannons is the dedicated anti infantry.


And the 1000 pt list
++ Tau Empire: Codex (2015) (Combined Arms Detachment) (996pts) ++

Farsight Enclaves
····Rules: Battlesuit Spearhead, Ork Hunters, Preferred Enemy, Ta'lissera Bond

+ HQ (184pts) +

Commander (184pts) [2x MV4 Shield Drone]
····Rules: Independent Character, Supporting Fire, Very Bulky
····XV8 Commander Crisis Suit [Cyclic Ion Blaster, Plasma Rifle, Stimulant Injector, Talisman of Arthas Moloch, Target Lock]

+ Elites (519pts) +

XV104 Riptide Battlesuits (241pts) [Bonding Knife Ritual, 2x MV84 Shielded Missile Drone]
····Rules: Bonding Knife Ritual, Fire Team, Supporting Fire
····Riptide Shas'vre [Early Warning Override, Ion Accelerator, Twin-linked Smart Missile System]

XV25 Stealth Battlesuits (137pts) [Bonding Knife Ritual, 2x MV7 Marker Drone, Stealth Shas'ui with Burst Cannon, Stealth Shas'ui with Burst Cannon]
····Rules: Bonding Knife Ritual, Infiltrate, Shrouded, Stealth, Supporting Fire
····Stealth Shas'vre [Fusion Blaster, Markerlight and target lock]

XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuits (141pts) [Bonding Knife Ritual]
····Rules: Bonding Knife Ritual
····Ghostkeel Shas'vre [Fusion Collider, Twin-linked Fusion Blaster]
········Rules: Fire Team, Stealth, Supporting Fire

+ Troops (293pts) +

XV8 Crisis Battlesuits (159pts) [Bonding Knife Ritual]
····Rules: Bonding Knife Ritual, Supporting Fire, Very Bulky
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Plasma Rifle]
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Plasma Rifle]
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Plasma Rifle]

XV8 Crisis Battlesuits (134pts) [Bonding Knife Ritual]
····Rules: Bonding Knife Ritual, Supporting Fire, Very Bulky
····Crisis Shas'ui [Airbursting Fragmentation Projector, Burst Cannon]
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Burst Cannon]
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Burst Cannon]

Working off the bones of the 500pt list, I thought it might be sensible to have a Riptide to mess up deep strikers and heavier targets. The Ghostkeel (I just love the model!), is there to get up close and personal in order to take out armour and tough targets, while the Stealth Team provides markerlight support and some anti infantry.

Should perform ok! I preffer cibs over burst canons, also the airburst in squad is a bit weird(better run him solo)

You spend quite some points on upgrades(drones what not) to get ml it's easier to take pathfinders or aux drone net..

Also fusion colider doesn't let you shoot overwatch and the cir most of the times better, since monat with melta kils tanks and pr teq.

My 2ct

Ah righteo! Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated =]
I think I'll have a fiddle around with the 1k list in particular, maybe swap to some more cibs as you recommended.

Do you think I would benefit from any formations, to the point where tweaking could be beneficial in terms of what I take?

Hi, my first suggestion is iridium armour on the commander. It is pretty much mandatory to keep him alive. I'd drop the talisman and advanced targeting system. 2nd, in general, don't mix weapons, if you want plasma, go all plasma for example.

I wouldn't run drones with the riptide myself, they are expensive and when they die, force a leadership test.

I think the cyclic ion raker has somewhat taken the place of burst cannons on crisis suits, more expensive, but similiar rate of fire and better ap.

I'd run the Ghostkeel with cyclic ion raker, tl fusion blaster and early warning override. You probably need some marker lights for your list, the stealth suits aren't very efficient at this role. I'd suggest dropping them, and making your commander a drone controller. Basically switch his weapons to missile pods & target lock, add a drone controller to your current setup and 2 marker drones. Then use a 4 man marker drone squad from the fast attack slot. Use your commander in this unit.

That gives you 6 markerlights, which the commander can tank for.

Or alternatively, switch your crisis suit setup, so you have one large unit with missile pods, target locks and the commander with his gear+ drone controller. Add some markerlight drones to the unit, drop the weapons on the commander and make him a buffmander, aka take command and control node, puretide chip and multi spectrum suite. This buffs the unit who can split fire all over the shop whilst the drones light up a target.

Run your 2nd unit of suits with some fusion blasters as you lack heavy AT.

Thanks for the suggestions!
I've made a couple of changes to the list, based on a few points you've made.
Two quick questions with the feedback though:

1. I was unsure about the Iridium armour on the commander, as if he's with a bunch of other T4 models, wouldn't the extra toughness be pointless if it's majority toughness for wound allocation?
2. Why the cyclic ion raker on the Ghostkeel? Wouldn't that be mixing roles with an anti infantry weapon mixed with anti tank (TL fusion blasters)?

Either way, here is the revised list. Thanks in advance for any further ideas =]


++ Tau Empire: Codex (2015) (Combined Arms Detachment) (999pts) ++

Farsight Enclaves

+ HQ (177pts) +

Commander (177pts) [2x MV7 Marker Drone]
····XV8 Commander Crisis Suit [Drone Controller, 2x Missile Pod, Target Lock, XV8-02 Crisis 'Iridium' Battlesuit]
(Now a missile pod/drone controller commander)

+ Elites (342pts) +

XV104 Riptide Battlesuits (191pts) [Bonding Knife Ritual]
····Riptide Shas'vre [Early Warning Override, Ion Accelerator, Twin-linked Smart Missile System]
(Dropped the drones)

XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuits (151pts) [Bonding Knife Ritual]
····Ghostkeel Shas'vre [Counterfire Defence System, Early Warning Override, Cyclic Ion Raker, Twin-linked Fusion Blaster]
(Some slight adjustments)

+ Troops (424pts) +

XV8 Crisis Battlesuits (159pts) [Bonding Knife Ritual]
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Plasma Rifle]
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Plasma Rifle]
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Plasma Rifle]
(Power armour/light vehicle destroyers)

XV8 Crisis Battlesuits (159pts) [Bonding Knife Ritual]
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Cyclic Ion Blaster]
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Cyclic Ion Blaster]
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Cyclic Ion Blaster]
(Light/medium infantry shredding unit)

XV8 Crisis Battlesuits (106pts) [Bonding Knife Ritual]
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Fusion Blaster]
····Crisis Shas'ui [2x Fusion Blaster]
(Anti tank unit, probably deep striking)

+ Fast Attack (56pts) +

Drones (56pts) [4x MV7 Marker Drone]
(Commander goes here)

Np!

The reason for iridium armour on the commander, is because whilst shooting is resolved vs majority toughness, if you place the commander up front, he can soak up wounds on his 2+ save. T5 in this case is important, because without it, st8 would instant death him. St8 weapons are much more common then St10. Remember, you can always look out sir to a drone if you want them to soak up some fire.

The cylclic Ion raker imo and by common consensus is the better all rounder weapon. 6 st7 shots and a fusion blaster is a fine anti tank unit for what you commonly see, whilst also having some anti monstrous creature/infantry ability.

List looks like an improvement imo! I'd drop the counterfire on the ghostkeel, and acutually the missile pods and target lock on the commander, instead I'd use those points to buy him 2 marker drones as wargear (12 points each) and a stimulant injector. Gives your commander feel no pain, so he is extra tanky and 2 more marker drones. Brings you up to 6 markers.

Not strictly needed, just a personal preference, I'd rather extra markers and durability on my warlord rather then 4 more st7 shots.

I'd suggest you roll on the strategic table for your warlord trait btw, as the FSE ones won't do much for you.

Ah righto, that reasoning for the Iridium armour makes a lot more sense now!

Good stuff, I think in that case the bulk idea of the list is sound, your other suggestions I'll have a play with as well. I'm guessing a lot of the minor adjustments can be as a result of some play-testing too.

Thanks again!

Cool, glad to help! Good luck with your return to 40k!

I love the 1000 point list you´ve made, welcome back to 40k