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Ok so I have a game coming up this weekend against some horrible bugs.

So I need some advice on an army load out. I'm a bit hesitant in using flamers on my crisis suits as even with jsj I still feel like I'll be too close to the 'action'.

Please fire away with suggestions. Think big scary beast with a Swarmlord thrown in and that's what I'm looking at.

Really, you should not have that much trouble. your biggest fear is probably a Flyrant as it can get to you fast followed by ymgrals. FW gunlines will eat basic troops. Hammerheads can kill hordes or slid shot in to MC's. Broadsides will rip a new on the MCs. Plasma and burst cannons on the suits should deal with most stuff.

I wouldn't run burst cannons on the suits. Twin-linked missile pods with a flamer will be much more useful against MC and help deter charges. I'd run plasma and missile pods for an HQ so its a threat against his MCs as well.

That said, also run some flachette dischargers on your tanks. It hurts hordes big time and can even wound MCs.

Second the flechette's. With skimmers being easier to hit in assault, and the fact bugs often need to charge a tank to really kill it, they will make thier points back easily taking out some stealers or whatnot. Good on hammerheads sitting bakc, or devilfish running around shooting.

Keep your tanks away from hive guard. The disruption pod+jink save should protect your fish and hammerhead from any serious damage, but hive guard negate cover and can fire indirectly.

Fire warriors should massacre any bugs in the open without any concern. Overwatch with a full squad is devastating.

Burst cannons are okay, but only use them if the close in on you, not the other way around. Bladestorms or firestorms work well against nids, but just mind your range(if you roll poorly for your assault jump you will die). Flamers would be better for emergency wetwork and to stop charges, while being cheaper.

Missile pods are your friend, as you can force saves against his big nasties. Plasma rifles are okay.
If you have an 'el with an array, grab an AFP. It can do a real number to the hordes.

Railguns for the big stuff. Should be okay.

 Dr. Serling wrote:

If you have an 'el with an array, grab an AFP. It can do a real number to the hordes.

Barrage weapons don't get to subtract their BS from the scatter roll..

only when fired indirectly, you don't have to. and with JSJ you REALLY don't have to.

I agree with the AFP, it's probably the best anti-horde gun in the tau armory. sometimes I wish I had more then one.

Ok so just a quick list;

'el w/ AFP, TA

x2 XV8 MP, BC, MT

x2 XV8 PR, MP, MT

x9 FW

x9 FW

HH TA, DP, Railgun

x1 Broadside Railgun, SMS, MT

x3 Stealth Suits, w/ 6 Gun drones

What do you think of this kind of list? My logic behind the firestorms is the amount of fire power I would be able to do at a reasonable distance with jsj.

Any ideas or improvements would be great

First thing first, the 'el is illegal, you need a third hardpoint.

Second, the hammerhead needs a secondary system, I assume the burst cannons were taken.

Third-if you spesify going against nids, I see no reason to bring a broadside.

I would pay for some BSFs on the suits and the HH, and maybe FW.

PR chews gaunts and Railguns/Plasma Rifles nom MC, but the first turn night figthing on 4+ can really hurt your shooting.

Ruins + shrouded = 2+ cover saves on MC, 3+ in any other cover.

Ofc, night fighting is random, but I like to plan for the worst.

So it wasn't the most specific list. Your assumptions are right though.

What I don't understand is why you wouldn't bring a Broadside to a MC fight? I'm fairly new to the games so I'm just curious.

Bsf is a good shout, I will have to wait to get home before I check the cost in my codex.

I'd bring a broadside. It's got a decent chance of causing a couple wounds, has a 2+ save, and it's missiles actually can hurt gaunts while staying out of LOS.

But I'd cut the burst cannons and Plasma rifles from the elite suits and just run them as twin-linked missile pods, 1 bsf per squad, and the rest with flamers.

Firing 2 BS3 weapons per suit is going to give you a lot of misses. Missiles are much more adept at taking down MC and can even hit FMCs. They are a very reliable, decently price, and hard hitting fire support unit. You already have S5 shots spread through the rest of the army, so burst cannons are wasted on the suits. The Plasma rifle is going to disappoint with it's 50% accuracy rate, that and the cover saves they will get will make up for the lack of an armor save.