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Hi wargamers we meet again!

Now as you've read the army title you're already running for the bucket, we are looking at the yucky Tau!

I have a friend who is starting a Tau army and we have no idea where to start, essentially we would like a competitive army but not one that will lose all his friends including me! As for points of reference, it woul be greatly appreciated if we could look at your ideas for starting at 500 points then using those points in a 1000, 1500 and eventually 1850 point list that synergises.

We aren't too keen on the transports in terms of thematic appeal but fluff wise we are in the dark and want to make sure the army has a nice theme.

Looking forward to hearing from you all!

Captain out

Well, as far as models go, you're in luck with tau as a lot of our stuff is modular at any level.

At low points like 500, it may be worth having a cheap HQ like a cadre fireblade or some such, though those aren't AS used in higher point games. However you can run a suit commander (useful in higher point games) and just not give him too much expensive kit as it'll eat points quickly.

Currently in the meta, mecha tau is more competitive to foot sloggers, so I would suggest whomever is playing Tau to run Farsight Enclaves and get some suits. Those can be kitted out with whatever weapons you want and can fulfill just about any role in the army. Also, with FSE, the suits can be selected as troops and thus get obsec.

Of course if you're running a fireblade it's probably worth sticking him with a unit of firewarriors to actually buff. You'll also want some markerlight support. Given how cheap they are, I would suggest trying to get some Tetras. Running them naked is 35 points a model for 2 BS3 twinlinked markerlights, plus other fun rules like no DS scattering within 6 inches, and they are very useful even at higher levels. Problem is they are forgeworld, so a bit harder to come by, but if you just get some piranha models they're basically the same size and shape.

At 500 points, play Combat Patrol and bypass the usual FoC rules.

Any Crisis Suits you buy, either pay to have them magnetized or do it yourself (I now recommend paying pro modelers or more talented buddies over my own poor efforts).

Start with a box (2 of these actually):
https://www.games-workshop.com/en-US/Munitorum-Containers-Tau-Empire

Over the years the box deals have been okay to great. This one is okay (for the terrain pieces).

So, Crisis Suits, minimum amount of Fire Warriors (Pulse Rilfes). Once passed 500 points, this is good:

5 or 6 Suits, one 'Vre with MSS and C&CN, give the rest dual PRs and maybe one or two dual FB suits. Add on the Irid Commander, dual PRs on him, a couple of Gun Drones and that unit can kill 90% of 40k's units in one salvo.

Riptides. 3. Ripwing. HBCs. SMS.

Then, the tetras mentioned above are good, along with a b-side team, full 3 suits and their 6 Missile Drones. I am mixed on the Ghostkeels and their mechanics, having killed them in most games verus a Tau opponent. If you have the money, a StormSurge when you head into points beyond 1500.

I would start with two of the get started sets; good value and contain useful units. MAGNETIZE the crisis suits for sure - I didn't and its really annoying.
See if you can get your hands on extra cyclic ion blasters for the crisis suits - they are very good at lower point games.
Once you have the basic list of crisis suits, ethereal and fire warriors start to grow collection and develop list by including commander and looking to acquire some formations - drone net, riptide wing etc.
The good thing with Tau is that you can tailor how competitive you want to be very easily through upgrades and formation so I would say really just go for models you like above anything else.

Also thematically this works too; infantry providing baseline of fire with ethereal guiding them, commander deep striking with crisis suits and riptides (only normally one in a 'fluffy' list) providing hard hitting firepower. Maybe also get some pathfinders for markerlights. Riptides are especially lethal in lower point games also.
There are other themes that work at 500 - 1000pts too - the ghostkeel / stealth suit formation is very good and fits with a possible theme of your force scouting ahead of a hunter cadre. This formation is quite competetive and you will be a able to include it for sure in larger point games.