He's only 100 points, which includes his two bodyguards (dirt cheap for what he does IMHO). His big drawback is that he isn't an IC, so he can definitely get sniped out, which is why you'd need to keep him hidden behind some terrain or even better IMHO behind a nice Aegis Defense Line. He has a cool rule that any shooting attack he basically gets an extra save where he rolls a D6 and if its equal to or greater than the AP of the shooting the wound is discounted. I don't see any rule not allowing him to make that roll after taking normal cover save attempts, so if you put him behind the Aegis and then go to ground every time he's fired at (there's no reason beside moving him somewhere not to have him Go to Ground whenever needed), he's getting a 2+ cover save that if failed you get a 2nd chance to discount by rolling equal to or over the AP of the shooting. So with that and his 4 Wounds, he should be pretty safe from enemy shooting, even with his paltry T3.

Now what does he add to the army?


1) Like all Ethereals, he gives all units within 12" his Ld 10 on morale, pinning, fear and regroup tests, which is going to keep your firebase behind the Aegis nice and solid.


2) Like all Ehtereals each turn he's also able to give all units within 12" some really nice abilities...but unlike other Ethereals, he gives them TWO of these abilities instead of just 1. These choices are:

• Stubborn (when combined with using the Ethereal's Ld 10 means if you're getting threatened by an enemy CC unit you can send one of your units into combat with them and as long as you don't get wiped out on the charge your unit is basically going to be locked in that combat...and if you send in the right sized unit you should be able to time it out so that they get wiped out in combat in the opponent's turn, leaving you ready to shoot the enemy unit again.

• 6+ Feel No Pain...always useful, especially behind the Aegis.

• Units can fire snap shots after running...not particularly useful, but can be used in a pinch if you need to have the entire firebase fall back together...they can all move backwards (or sideways) in the movement phase, then run and still fire snap shots if you're desperately trying to avoid contact.

• The golden one: Pulse weapons fire an extra shot. Yes, pulse weapons fire an extra shot at half range. That is nuts, especially as that is extra shots added to that one round of shooting, meaning that extra shot is benefitting from any markerlights you're spending on that unit's shooting anyway. It pretty much guarantees that if you've got a couple full-sized squads of Firewarriors you are going to be able to TEAR UP most anything within 15" or 21" if you're willing to move your unit out from the Aegis. And this power starts until the start of your next movement phase, so it applies to OVERWATCH shooting as well!!! And let's not forget that Tau now get to fire Overwatch if a friendly unit within 6" is being charged. So if one of your two-full sized Firewarriors gets charged, they BOTH can shoot likely 36 shots EACH at the charging unit.


3) And now what I think is the kicker for Space Pope...he comes with the Warlord ability that, once per game, he makes all friendly units that have gone to ground get back up and act normally that turn. So again, if you're hiding your firebase behind an Aegis Line, one turn where you know the enemy has gambled everything to move up and threaten you, you can go to ground with everything, soak up all his firing, then bust your Warlord Trait on your turn, and OBLITERATE them.


So yeah, space pope seems amazing. I guess his one big, giant, huge drawback is that if the enemy kills him they get an extra VP, which combined with the fact that if you're using him to be your Warlord to get his fixed Warlord power that means he's worth an auto 2 VPs if killed...that is pretty painful for a model that is incredibly easy to kill if you get him in CC or shoot him with the right weapons...multi-lasers eek!).