Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

The SMS goes well with the Heavy Burst Cannon, however the same synergy doesn't exist for the Ion Accelerator. What are other Tau Commanders running for their Riptides?

Current build is Ion/SMS w/ FNP/VT
Running him with a support commander for large blast fun times.

the SMS is so so though im considering Fusions as a back up against flyers. (or tanks in general)

Wouldn't the extra range of plasma be best?

Fusions every time. Its highly unlikely the riptide wont have a shot at air, and a double pen melta is devastating.

The extra 6'' on fusion doesnt help much. The strength does. If using a hbc i could understand the sms but otherwise never do i see a use for nonmelta riptides

honestly I treat them a bit like crisis suits... I look at the rest of my list and decide what I am lacking.

IF I cannot decide I go fusion, but more often the list will decide for you.

Currently due to lack of plasma but plenty of fusion (piranhas!) I'm going with the plasma, helps against deepstriking termis with a EWO and the Ion Accel.

This also helps define a bit of the role you wish it to perform. Anti heavy infantry vs anti... I Don't Know.. VTs seem a bit of overkill on an already expensive model but so many people want to set up riptdies as anti flyer... broadsides or MP/MP crisis suits, even quad guns seem to do it better. but thats a bit of a off topic rant.

Fusion, as the option to pop some tanks is always a nice addition.
But as some may say, it depends on the rest of our list. if you have alot of fusion plasma or even SMS might be better.

Recently i have been building a Farsight and Friends list and i have been wondering which secondary weapon to take on my 2 Riptides too.

At the moment they have IA/SMS/EWO/VT for my aint air support along with 2 Misslesides with EWO. Im only running 1 squad of kroot and 2x6man fire warrior squads so i am inclined to keep the SMS for small arms fire and the benefit of not needing LoS but I reckon the TL Fusions will be better for AA, especially since i plan to keep the Riptides close to the Farsight bomb for protection form Heldrakes and for added supporting fire.

Ill be play testing both in the next week or so so ill let you know first hand but at the moment i suspect it is the Fusions

This has been an interesting/informative thread sofar so thanks everyone for the insight...I am running a Riptide in part of my Tau allies for my Eldar army and have been sold on the EWO (interceptor) with the Ion Accelerator and the Fusion gun really goes well with it since you can use it quite well to pop maybe a Dread that deep strikes too close or get a good Fusion shot at an incoming Land Raider or something. S8 also goes well with the S8 Ap2 blast for when you want to throw maximum S8 at something to ID it (like Necron Wraiths).

However, I was wondering what people here think about the Velocity Tracker on the Riptide-worth it? I am going back and forth in my list design and don't know if it is essential/worth it, what are your guys' thoughts?

If anything, it might be good to try and Nova Charge for double Fusion shots so if a Helldrake gets close to your lines you can interceptor/skyfire at it with 2 twin-linked Fusion shots.

 mortetvie wrote:
This has been an interesting/informative thread sofar so thanks everyone for the insight...I am running a Riptide in part of my Tau allies for my Eldar army and have been sold on the EWO (interceptor) with the Ion Accelerator and the Fusion gun really goes well with it since you can use it quite well to pop maybe a Dread that deep strikes too close or get a good Fusion shot at an incoming Land Raider or something. S8 also goes well with the S8 Ap2 blast for when you want to throw maximum S8 at something to ID it (like Necron Wraiths).

However, I was wondering what people here think about the Velocity Tracker on the Riptide-worth it? I am going back and forth in my list design and don't know if it is essential/worth it, what are your guys' thoughts?

If anything, it might be good to try and Nova Charge for double Fusion shots so if a Helldrake gets close to your lines you can interceptor/skyfire at it with 2 twin-linked Fusion shots.

In my experience so far its a toss up between VT and Stims (always with EWO). Stims are more expensive but lets you Nova charge with less risk of frying the little dude inside, they can also be really frustrating for opponents, especially when you have more than 1 Riptide allowing them to tank a serious amount of shots. Although Tau have some of the best AA straight out of their codex with Railsides/Misslesides and such Its really handy to have a model or 2 able to take Skyfire and Interceptor which in my opinion tips the choice in favor of the VT. The ability fire just the Fusion with Skyfire Interceptor in your opponents phase and then blast away with the IA in your own shooting phase can be a real bonus too. Personal preference really.

A lot of the choice on the upgrades comes from what kind of air you'll be facing. A squad of 3 missile broadsides with interceptor can get 3-4 interceptor hits on a flier without even needing skyfire just through twin linked dakka. Then your 6 missile drones lay down the firepower in the shooting phase (and smart missile systems...)

Against things that don't completely spam fliers I think that's sufficient anti-air for most situations, and it lets the riptide take feel no pain which I find incredibly useful. It's even more useful on the heavy burst cannon because you'll probably be warming up the nova reactor more often (and 12 gets hot shots can ruin your day).

As for secondary weapon, I do firmly believe in ion/fusion, but only because that str 8 hit can interceptor kill t4 stuff and I deal with the Doom a lot. The way I see it your primary weapon will always massively out range your secondary if you take the ion, so you might as well take the one with the highest strength. I could go for burst cannon/smart misisels because they have a similar range, but I feel like that is a massive waste of a riptide unless you take that and the skyfire upgrade, then give your broadsides rail rifles...

That is such a janky build. I think I have to try it now.

 mortetvie wrote:

If anything, it might be good to try and Nova Charge for double Fusion shots so if a Helldrake gets close to your lines you can interceptor/skyfire at it with 2 twin-linked Fusion shots.

Noobish question. Can anyone clarify if you can Nova charge for Double TL Fusions in the interceptor phase or does it have to be done at the start of your own movement phase? If so does it last through your turn to your opponents turn to enable you to Double fire during interceptor, essentially able to double tap the Fusions twice?

Sorry this probably should of gone in the Rules section.

If you use the nova charge, the "charge" is held until the start of your next movement phase (where it goes away if you haven't used it yet). Since the opponent's movement phase happens after your movement phase, but before your next movement phase, you can spend the nova charge then. If it didn't work like that then the charge use that gave you 3++ would be pretty useless.

You only get one use of ripple fire or nova charge profile. once you elect to fire in that mode the charge is expended and you're done using it for that turn.

Just to clarify: order of operations goes
1. start of your movement phase, roll for nova charge (and give ethereal orders...). If successful go to 2.

2. Riptide's activation in your shooting phase, decide whether to spend the nova charge. If yes then use nova charge profile or ripple fire. If no go to 3.

3. Riptide's activation in assault phase, decide whether to spend nova charge to gain 4d6 thrust move. If no go to 4.

4. End of opponent's movement phase. If riptide has interceptor and valid intercept targets are on the table, decide to spend nova charge on nova charge profile or ripple fire for interceptor shots. If no go to 5.

5. Start of your next movement phase, if riptide has nova charge token, nova charge token is removed. Decide if you want to roll for nova reactor activation...

Note, you can "interrupt" this order of operations at any time to give your riptide 3++ until the start of your next movement phase (I think there's no restriction on when you have to activate that particular option. I'm pretty sure you could get it starting in your own movement phase if you really wanted it).

Re: Nova Reactor Activation

On any other roll, the attempt is successful, and you can choose one of the abilities listed below for the Riptide Shas'vre to have (until the start of its next Movement phase).

Nothing there says you get to save your choice until its most convenient - you passed the roll, now make your choice before doing anything else.

Re: Ripple Fire

The Riptide Shas'vre can fire its twin-linked fusion blaster, its twin-linked plasma rifle, or its twin-linked smart missile system twice this turn.

"This turn" defaults to current player turn unless specifically stated to be game turn. So the Ripple Fire cannot be active for Interceptor.

Aye, but it does not say I need to immediately choose. So in absence of any other time restrictions we can argue it out all day before someone who is important on the forums gives their opinion and everybody listens to it. And this is why I hate 40k rules...


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also if you want to argue semantics, then whatever ability I chose I keep until the start of my next movement phase, so I would keep ripple fire until the start of my next movement phase, and since during interceptor fire "this turn" refers to the opponent's player's turn, then I should be able to ripple fire there as well. There's no restriction saying how many times you can ripple fire.

i think the delaying which upgrade you want is pulling the rule's leg, but the FNP one is totally viable because it is NOT a save per the BRB description, that is why it comes after a failed save and not in place of one. Per BRB, the only wounds it cannot remove are instant-death ones. A failed nova charge does not cause instant death and does not say no FNP is allowed, so its totally legal. Why else would it be SO DAMN EXPENSIVE to get it on the riptide? i dont even bother anymore since my riptides are starting to get ignored since theyre so hard to take out unless i wiff 3+ of my nova charges or it gets in combat with someone that has an AP2 weapon and lots of attacks.

Back on side-weapon topic:
SMS is nice for the extra dakka if you are low on S5 shots somehow,. but you have to remember only Shadowsun can shoot her weapons at multiple targets. The riptide especially with IA will always be able to shoot something since he is an MC thus has Moves Through Cover, so he can jetpack move up top of a tall structure and say FETH YOU to the danger test (MTC says autopass any danger tests). That big gun is less likely to be shooting out of range of the SMS since its 30" rather than 18"/24" but its likely to not do anything against what the IA wants to hit (2+/3+ armor or high toughness or vehicle) so who cares?
(I think in the last codex Multi-tracker did allow you to shoot at different targets with your two weapons, but in the new one it just says 2 weapons this shooting phase)

Fusion/Plasma at least want the same-ish targets. I take Fusions because typically when it comes to penning armor saves the IA does plenty, but the Melta can paste T4 models (in case theyre too close to use the pi plate or you rolled Gets Hot!) and its very easy to get the double pen on fliers with it, or assault vehicles charging down the lanes. S8+2D6 has a VERY good chance at penning anything even AV14 since the average 2D6 roll is a 7, which pens AV14.