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I have a tournament coming up in August. It's going to be a classic Warhammer format, 1500 points, one CAD, no Formations or Allies, only Troops are scoring and no triplicates of units. I want to run a mechanised Tau theme. Here is my proposed list. Comments and feedback welcome.

HQ: Darkstrider (100 Points)
Goes with Pathfinders and outflanks. Maybe gets lucky hitting T4 multi-wound units with instant death.

TROOP: Breacher Team (185 Points)
10x Breachers
Devilfish: Disruption Pod, Drones

TROOP: Breacher Team (185 Points)
10x Breachers
Devilfish: Disruption Pod, Drones

TROOP: Strike Team (100 Points)
10x Pulse Rifles with SMS support turret

TROOP: Kroot (95 Points)
15x Kroot with 1x Hound
Bubble wraps the Hammerheads or outflanks based on deployment and scenario.

FAST ATTACK: Pathfinder Team (250 Points)
7x Carbine/Markerlight - 3x Rail Rifle
Devilfish: Disruption Pod, Drones
Not a marker source, though can be used as one if need be. Designed to buddy up with Darkstrider and outflank alpha strike.

HEAVY SUPPORT: Hammerhead Gunships (390 Points)
3x Hammerheads: Railguns/Submunitions - Smart Missile Systems

HEAVY SUPPORT: Broadside Battlesuits (195 Points)
3x Broadsides: High Yield Missile Pods/Smart Missile Systems

I feel like if you want to go mechanized you should go all out. The kroot could be a devilfish for your strike team and by dropping the broadsides you can get 200 points worth of piranhas which could be as many as 4 depending on upgrades. Or alternatively add in a Skyray and you could maybe find the points for a pair of Skyrays in there somewhere. This gives you an entirely mobile list that can get around the battlefield quickly rather than splitting your force between some mobility and a small firebase (I assume you want to bubble wrap the broadsides and not the hammerheads). Tau infantry still need to gang up on units with forcussed fire so having the whole army mobilized will be useful.

I've really been enjoying 10 man Breachers in a devilfish.

Thanks for the feedback. I was considering going all-out mechanised, but didn't want to forfeit the power of Broadsides. You make a valid point though and that's keeping the army together. Unfortunately, I don't have another Devilfish for the Strike Team. I do have a Sky Ray and some Piranhas though. Here's a revised list. It puts me 155 points short of 1500.

HQ: Darkstrider (100)

TROOPS: Breacher Team in Devilfish with Disruption Pod (185)

TROOPS: Breacher Team in Devilfish with DIsruption Pod (185)

FAST ATTACK: 3x Piranha with Burst Cannons (120)

FAST ATTACK: 10x Pathfinders with 3x Rail Rifle in Devilfish with DIsruption Pod (250)

HEAVY SUPPORT: 3x Hammerhead with Railguns/Submunitions and Smart Missile Systems (390)

HEAVY SUPPORT: Skyray with Smart Missile System (115)

Total: 1345

As to the rest of my collection:
12x Crisis Suits (any weapon load-out)
1x Riptide with Ion
20x Firewarriors with Pulse Rifles
15x Kroot and 5x Kroot Hound
6x Stealth Suits
1x Shadowsun
3x Broadside with Missiles
1x Ethereal
2x Sniper Drone Spotters and 6x Sniper Drones
1x Sunshark
1x Crisis Commander (any weapon load-out)

I do want to be mindful that in classic 40K only Troops can Score.

I don't think you're losing too much by dropping the Broadsides. They're S7 AP4 and you've got 3 Hammerheads with sub-munition pie plates, Breachers in Devilfish, and Rail Rifles. Not to mention the 6 seeker missiles from the Skyray.

With what you have left there's a couple of options, but I'd stick to either the Sun Shark and Crisis Suits since it will keep with the theme of having a fast army. I would personally do something like this:

HQ: Darkstrider (100)

TROOPS: Breacher Team in Devilfish with Disruption Pod (185)

TROOPS: Breacher Team in Devilfish with DIsruption Pod (185)

FAST ATTACK: 2x Piranha with Fusion Blasters (100)

FAST ATTACK: 10x Pathfinders with 3x Rail Rifle in Devilfish with DIsruption Pod (250)

FAST ATTACK: Sun Shark Bomber with Disruption Pod (175)

HEAVY SUPPORT: 3x Hammerhead with Railguns/Submunitions and Smart Missile Systems (390)

HEAVY SUPPORT: Skyray with Smart Missile System (115)

TOTAL: 1500 on the nose

The Sun Shark is fast enough to keep up with everyone so that your entire army can threaten anywhere on the board relatively easily. It's also a bit of a distraction unit (all for the Greater Good of course). You'll also have 4 pie plates to drop down each turn as well as plenty of high strength weapons to tackle armor. Another option would be to keep the third Piranha and instead of a Sun Shark add in a trio of Crisis Suits with either 2 missile pods (ranged light armor) or 2 fusion blasters (deepstrike tank hunters).

I think Cirronimbus has it spot on, the only thing I would change is that, with the pending FAQ that is set to be released (On the Warhammer 40k Facebook Page). I would potentially look at removing the disruption pods, seeing as the passengers will need to snap fire if the transport does jink, although it could be handy when deploying behind ruins.

With this, I would also remove a Hammerhead, and split the remaining 2 into 2 separate squads to give you some target saturation. As from my experience, having 3 in a squad is a bit overkill for the points and only being able to shoot at 1 target isn't ideal.

Then, with the points saved from a HH and the D-Pods, I would get yourself another unit of Fire Warriors, and if possible that you could nab a devilfish somewhere from your collection to give them a transport? So then you have 3(6) scoring units. (If you are counting Troop Devilfish as still scoring in your tournament) If not, I think a Riptide could fill some AP2 Holes in your list, and take some heat off your vehicles.

Hope this helps!

Well remember Devilfish don't have firing points so the jinking issue isn't a problem. And with only a burst cannon and a pair of gun drones... having to snap fire isn't a big deal

It's more the fact they'll have to snap fire during their next turn, so if they bail out of the vehicle they'll still have to snap fire, which is a shame sadly! Really brings the hurt to armies like DE who rely on their vehicles for protection.

 Cirronimbus wrote:
With what you have left there's a couple of options, but I'd stick to either the Sun Shark and Crisis Suits since it will keep with the theme of having a fast army. I would personally do something like this:

HQ: Darkstrider (100)

TROOPS: Breacher Team in Devilfish with Disruption Pod (185)

TROOPS: Breacher Team in Devilfish with DIsruption Pod (185)

FAST ATTACK: 2x Piranha with Fusion Blasters (100)

FAST ATTACK: 10x Pathfinders with 3x Rail Rifle in Devilfish with DIsruption Pod (250)

FAST ATTACK: Sun Shark Bomber with Disruption Pod (175)

HEAVY SUPPORT: 3x Hammerhead with Railguns/Submunitions and Smart Missile Systems (390)

HEAVY SUPPORT: Skyray with Smart Missile System (115)

TOTAL: 1500 on the nose

The Sun Shark is fast enough to keep up with everyone so that your entire army can threaten anywhere on the board relatively easily. It's also a bit of a distraction unit (all for the Greater Good of course). You'll also have 4 pie plates to drop down each turn as well as plenty of high strength weapons to tackle armor. Another option would be to keep the third Piranha and instead of a Sun Shark add in a trio of Crisis Suits with either 2 missile pods (ranged light armor) or 2 fusion blasters (deepstrike tank hunters).

Thanks for the response. This is very helpful. I like where you've taken the list while maintaining the mechanised theme.