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Hi all, im modifying my competitive list for 9th.
Basically shadowsun, ethereal, a fireblade, riptides, and drones stick together and try to hold a central position on board. Some troops hang back for objectives, rest of troops and fireblades stay near main force for other objectives and marker lights. Commanders also go for objectives in enemy territory and help troops that hang back if need to.
I thought about giving a commander promising pupil/exemplar mont'ka, 1 cp for ignoring -1 to hit seems worth it.
Tell me what you think.

++ Battalion Detachment 0CP (T'au Empire) [63 PL, 12CP, 1,290pts] ++

+ Configuration +

Battle-forged CP [12CP]

Sept Choice: T'au Sept

+ HQ +

Cadre Fireblade [2 PL, 45pts]: 2. Through Unity, Devastation, Warlord

Cadre Fireblade [2 PL, 45pts]

Commander Shadowsun [9 PL, 145pts]: 2x High-energy fusion blaster, MV62 Command-link Drone

+ Troops +

Strike Team [2 PL, 45pts]
. 5x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle: 5x Photon grenades, 5x Pulse rifle

Strike Team [2 PL, 45pts]
. 5x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle: 5x Photon grenades, 5x Pulse rifle

Strike Team [2 PL, 45pts]
. 5x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle: 5x Photon grenades, 5x Pulse rifle

+ Elites +

XV104 Riptide Battlesuit [14 PL, 305pts]: 2x Smart missile system, Advanced targeting system, Counterfire defence system, Heavy burst cannon

XV104 Riptide Battlesuit [14 PL, 305pts]: 2x Smart missile system, Amplified ion accelerator, Drone controller, Ion accelerator, Velocity tracker

+ Fast Attack +

Tactical Drones [6 PL, 110pts]
. 5x MV1 Gun Drone: 10x Pulse carbine
. 4x MV4 Shield Drone: 4x Shield generator

Tactical Drones [6 PL, 105pts]
. 6x MV1 Gun Drone: 12x Pulse carbine
. 3x MV4 Shield Drone: 3x Shield generator

Tactical Drones [4 PL, 95pts]
. 5x MV1 Gun Drone: 10x Pulse carbine
. 3x MV4 Shield Drone: 3x Shield generator

++ Patrol Detachment -2CP (T'au Empire) [16 PL, 319pts] ++

+ Configuration +

Sept Choice: T'au Sept

+ HQ +

Cadre Fireblade [2 PL, 45pts]

Commander in XV86 Coldstar Battlesuit [8 PL, 139pts]: Advanced targeting system, 3x Burst cannon

+ Troops +

Breacher Team [2 PL, 45pts]
. 5x Fire Warrior: 5x Photon grenades, 5x Pulse blaster

Strike Team [2 PL, 45pts]
. 5x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle: 5x Photon grenades, 5x Pulse rifle

Strike Team [2 PL, 45pts]
. 5x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle: 5x Photon grenades, 5x Pulse rifle

++ Patrol Detachment -2CP (T'au Empire) [18 PL, 389pts] ++

+ Configuration +

Sept Choice: Sa'cea Sept

+ HQ +

Commander in XV86 Coldstar Battlesuit [8 PL, 139pts]: Advanced targeting system, 3x Burst cannon

Ethereal [2 PL, 55pts]: Honour blade

+ Troops +

Breacher Team [2 PL, 45pts]
. 5x Fire Warrior: 5x Photon grenades, 5x Pulse blaster

Breacher Team [2 PL, 45pts]
. 5x Fire Warrior: 5x Photon grenades, 5x Pulse blaster

Breacher Team [2 PL, 45pts]
. 5x Fire Warrior: 5x Photon grenades, 5x Pulse blaster

+ Elites +

Firesight Marksman [1 PL, 30pts]

Firesight Marksman [1 PL, 30pts]

++ Total: [97 PL, 12CP, 1,998pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe

I think you might find you are starved for CP since you spent so many of extra detachments.
Do you need all those commanders and all those troops? It may be worth dropping the T'au Empire patrol to get 3 missile broadsides in your primary detachment. They are surprisingly potent with Command and Control Node used on them.
Also your Sac'ea units won't be able to benefit from your T'au Empire drones if I understand their rules correctly. Maybe drop 2 troops from that detachment?

Just my 2 cents, it still looks fun. Love the double tide and the prototype ion accelerator.

Yeah I agree, you are spending an awful lot of CP for commanders only shining burst. Its very low value pr point. You only got 1 thing which can really deal with T7. I kind of feel that is on the low side, though its hard to say in the current meta. S8 is pretty strong vs SM though so yeah. Commanders with fusion or CiB could be nice to deal with T7 if you really want them. Fusion vs T7 with no invul and CiB vs T7 with invul maybe.

Love all the gun drones. They pack a nice punch, but I kind of feel they are redundant with all of your fire warriors. Gun drones are high value vs T3 and T4 afair.

Maybe lurk in on the other armies here and the ones from competitions to know how much S8 we really need.

DG is also very scary right now. I wouldn't mind an extra Riptide with HBC, they are very strong against both poxwalkers and plaugemarines I find. Almost everything else I throw at them they just shrug off. Riptides also do very well against Primaris so theres that. I dont think this army will do too well against DG. The S5 wont do too much against plaugemarines with their T5 and 3+/5+++, but I could be wrong. Also they can buff their T5 to T6.

I haven't really found a nice spot for shadowsun outside 2 scenarios - A castle or maybe just hanging back with HYM broadsides using kaiyon and command and control node to take things off the board early. Or with a combo of Montka turn one, kaiyon turn 2. Though I love her so I almost always bring her anyway.

If you bring any of your other sept units with your TAU SEPT, they can by gone the 5+ ftgg overwatch, as you only get the 5+ when your TAU SEPT units are charged.


Take it as food for thought, I've honestly had a tough time seeing how we can build an army that will do well against the current meta-toppers and the missions. Not to mention im a somewhat new player who have mostly played against Ultramarines, DG, 1000 sons, IG and Knights.

Thanks for the feedback. I dont like spending the extra CP before the battle has even started but with the extra detachment i get another Commander and a 2+ marker light.
I like having 2 Coldstars because they are great at taking objectives, Ive used fusion on my Coldstar before but I just don't find them that useful, most of the time that I use them they do some damage then die next turn, I had the same results with my ghostkeel, only get 2 rounds of shooting before dying, i probably just need more practice with them.
I've found that having lots of shots works better than having more powerful shots, my drones and fire warriors will be the first to die, so having extras means i can still have more shooting going into turn 3. The 20 breachers will hang back on objectives and won't be near drones, which are mainly for riptides anyway.
I only have 2 riptides and 2 broadsides, im working on another list with my broadsides, its great they don't suffer with heavy weapons now!