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Hey guys,

As a chaos nurgle player, I need help to make a competitive tau list. So far, pretty much everything is decent in the codex, only commanders are shining. Ghostkeel seem to be a good alternative to infiltrate on objective versus tanking fire ( if you can hide drones for -2 to hit ). Riptides with markerlights are the MVP ? Anyway, here is what I came with...





++ Outrider Detachment +1CP (T'au Empire) [19 PL, 302pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

T'au Empire Sept Choice: T'au Sept

+ HQ +

Commander in XV86 Coldstar Battlesuit [8 PL, 174pts]: 1. Precision of the Hunter, 4x Fusion blaster, Warlord

+ Fast Attack +

Pathfinder Team [5 PL, 48pts]
. 5x Pathfinder: 5x Markerlight
. Pathfinder Shas'ui: Markerlight

Pathfinder Team [3 PL, 40pts]
. 5x Pathfinder: 5x Markerlight

Pathfinder Team [3 PL, 40pts]
. 5x Pathfinder: 5x Markerlight

++ Vanguard Detachment +1CP (T'au Empire) [50 PL, 1012pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

T'au Empire Sept Choice: T'au Sept

+ HQ +

Commander in XV86 Coldstar Battlesuit [8 PL, 174pts]: 4x Fusion blaster

+ Elites +

XV104 Riptide Battlesuit [14 PL, 280pts]: 2x Smart missile system, Advanced targeting system, Heavy burst cannon, Target lock

XV104 Riptide Battlesuit [14 PL, 280pts]: 2x Smart missile system, Advanced targeting system, Heavy burst cannon, Target lock

XV104 Riptide Battlesuit [14 PL, 280pts]: 2x Smart missile system, Advanced targeting system, Heavy burst cannon, Target lock

++ Vanguard Detachment +1CP (T'au Empire) [38 PL, 679pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

T'au Empire Sept Choice: T'au Sept

+ HQ +

Commander in XV86 Coldstar Battlesuit [8 PL, 148pts]: 2x Burst cannon, 2x Fusion blaster, Puretide engram neurochip

+ Elites +

XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuit [10 PL, 177pts]: 2x Burst cannon, Cyclic ion raker, 2x MV5 Stealth Drone, Shield generator, Target lock

XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuit [10 PL, 177pts]: 2x Burst cannon, Cyclic ion raker, 2x MV5 Stealth Drone, Shield generator, Target lock

XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuit [10 PL, 177pts]: 2x Burst cannon, Cyclic ion raker, 2x MV5 Stealth Drone, Shield generator, Target lock

++ Total: [107 PL, 1995pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe

Your Riptides will die turn 1 because there are no drones to soak damage that need to be removed first.

Ghostkeels are way to expensive for their damage output. And damage output is #1 for Tau.
If you want to get up the field to take objectives your better of with Stealth Suits.

Fusion Coldstars fall flat when everything they want to hunt has a 4++ or better invul save.

minus to hit will utterly destroy you when your whole army will hit on 5/6+.

If you don't have a lot of experience to make your own list then look at what top lists are bringing.

Yeah, you really need around 12-20 shield drones, you should be deploying those drones out of line of sight(inside a building) with the riptides in front of them.

your screen is a bit weak, id think about adding some kroot maybe? or hounds? or fire warriors/breachers even.

making 1 commander purely for the strat (reroll wounds) with the cheapest weapons possible is a priority imo

otherwise riptides and ghostkeels can work well, and fusion commanders are a good choice to complement them, as lists without invuls typically run 2+ armour, but you will find them a bit useless some games

Only 6 CP is a bit low imo. I like ghostkeel but they are usually just a distraction piece that won't hold any aggro when there are Riptides on the table. I'd recommend changing the 531pts of ghostkeel into at least a 3x5 fire warrior+ml and a fireblade to get 4 more cp, and cheap body count in your DZ to hold objectives or screen with fair save/shots, and backup markerlights since pathfinders are wiped quickly. (To be fair I run 2 ghostkeel but that's to keep opponents from shooting my 4 hammerheads that don't have an invuln or drones, but the keels mostly miss a lot.) FW are also great for getting off lucky shots to proc the focus fire strat.

That leaves 375pts for drone support and heavy hitters.

You definitely want some Fire Warriors (Strike Teams); you will be desperately short on CP without at least one Battalion. You should also invest in a Cadre Fireblade or 2; these will buff the Fire Warriors as well as providing hidden Markerlight support. Pathfinders are WAY too squishy IMO, although in some metas they can be useful. You also really need some Shield Drone squads to protect your Riptides, otherwise Knights and stuff like that will bend them over and won't use any lube. Ghostkeels are fun, but their drones will get picked off fast, and they really aren't that durable once they start catching aggro, plus the aforementioned fact that they don't bring enough firepower of their own for their cost. Shame really, as the Ghostkeel model is awesome!

Not a good list IMO. As others have mentioned... you need drones and boots on the ground. You could have nearly 100 Firewarriors for the prove of those 3 Ghosts.