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I have been following the Nova results, and still have not found detailed lists. I read that the winner was running 4 Riptides, using shenanigans to make them all
IC's and ignoring cover. A nasty list anyway you spin it.

But, I fail to see what makes Taudaur so good? Why run Taudaur when you can just run pure Tau. Is there some type of synergy that has proven to be highly compeittive?

I would appreciate enlightenment.

A good amount of Tau with Eldar allies used a Farseer and 1-2 squads of 3 Jetbikes. The Farseer can join a Riptide (or other unit) and throw out two twin-linkings a turn. Additionally, the Seer can roll on Divination to give out Ignores Cover or 4++ to a unit. The Jetbikes work nicely with Tau, who often have trouble getting far away objectives.

Of course, there are other ways to work this combo, but this was a common template.

As to the why, Eldar provide Tau with some fast scoring units and psychic powers. Sure, Markerlights can do some nice things, but it is far more difficult to dislodge a Farseer buried behind a Riptide or large unit of Kroot.

The ignores cover power only works on the unit the psyker is with. My BA run into this a lot, as my psyker leads the ASM squads.

I would say the Nova winner was Eldau actually (the Invitational was won by Eldau, and that's the more impressive win imo). Also, again imo, I think Eldau is the stronger build overall, and we'll see more high level tournament players switch the two in the coming weeks/months (Eldar was basically brand new for Nova).

Either way the Armies synergize well. Tau have amazing mid range shooting. Eldar have the best mobile scoring in the game (Jetbikes and Serpents), the best tank in the game (the Serpent), great long range shooting (the serpent again, notice a trend) and fantastic psychic support. Farseer/Tau Commander/Riptide is an amazing unit, as is Farseer/Commander/Missile SIdes. Plus the WK helps cover the weaknesses of the Riptide, and the Riptide helps cover the weaknesses of the WK. (for example, Riptides are easy to kill in sweeping advances, but if a WK stands next to a Riptide that's nearly impossible to do)

My Daemons lists don't fear pure Tau, but almost have to get first turn to win against Eldau....which is no bueno for tournament play (to the point where I'm back to the drawing board for my list).

Edit: it's also worth noting that the way Table Quarters worked at Nova made Riptides even more powerful. The rich getting richer.

Answer: 3 riptides, your choice of shooting support from fast/heavy. Eldar allies: Farseer plus your choice of troop choices. As mentioned above, bikes work well, but you can do just fine with any elder troop choice in a wave serpent as well.

Just for clarification, the majority of the winning lists where Tau and Farsight enclave, not tau and eldar. Tau and farsight seems like a no brainer if you are running 2 HQ choices (say a commander and an ethereal) and crisis suits, why not ally to make those suits scoring and give you more elite slots.

On the taudar front, there is no defined list. I have seen a large variety of lists, however there are a few things that they usually have in common. Farseers on a jetbike are great for riptides, firewarriors and even pathfinders. Prescience or fortune turn your ion accelerator from failing 16.6% of the time to about 3% of the time. It also mean, you will get a Hit result 55% of the time, instead of 33% of the time. More over you are more likely to get a low scatter distance do to re-rolling. Twin-linking pulse rifles make them deal 25% more damage. In addition the farseer can have a third power, such as fortune which will make any sv2+ unit almost unkillable or psychic shriek that can destroy lists with low LD. Eldar has amazing troop choices with waveserpents, jetbikes, and wraiths.

Tau usually gives a buffing commander which allows rerolls, ignore cover and tank/monster hunter, plus a t5 w4 sv2+ body to tank wounds. This buffing commander paired with dark reapers is an extremely deadly unit. The reapers are able to kill just about one of anything every turn while being extremely hard to kill themselves.

I read that the winner was running 4 Riptides, using shenanigans to make them all
IC's and ignoring cover. A nasty list anyway you spin it.

Although OT, but since you brought it up, there's no way to make all 4 ICs. He took the Farsight IC riptide and joined him to another riptide (riptides can be joined since they are not exclusively single model units due to missile drone option). Those were then joined by the gadget crisis commander and farsight to make an uber, ignore a ton of rules death star.

On topic, taudar eldau power comes down to they compliment each other (both are shooting oriented battle brothers that can cross polinate USRs and abilities) but also help each other in their weaknessess (eldar have better scoring units then tau and psychic abilities, tau have better bubble wraps).

Thanks, this makes a lot of sense.

I am not happy with the way the power creep is happening in 6th. I thought we were getting away from that trend, but it is just not going to happen. In fact, I would say it is worse than ever.

Also, I am not real impressed overall. Mostly due to the fact that the majority of these Tau\Tau & Taudar players bought the army simply because the new books are OP. A ben franklin says the majority of them will flush those armies and buy new ones when the next wave of OP codex(s) hit.

Just not my way of playing 40K. Too MTG and Pokemonish for me. I prefer to stick with an army permanently, and really come to identify with it. But that is just me.

It is, in fact, exactly like Magic the Gathering at the moment. Since there are allies, force org and book balance don't exist. You can do whatever you want. This is just the beginning...I am certain there will be uglier combos later.

If this is the future of 40k, why not go tits out and let everyone Battle Brothers with everyone else? Why should Imperium and Tau have all the fun?

 scuddman wrote:
It is, in fact, exactly like Magic the Gathering at the moment. Since there are allies, force org and book balance don't exist. You can do whatever you want. This is just the beginning...I am certain there will be uglier combos later.

There absolutely will be uglier combos later. It is just going to keep getting worse. And track these tournament players. They will flush the armie(s) and by the new one(s) as soon as the next wave of OP hits.
I have no problem with an army getting a "boost" and some new options, but this is just over the top OP. Flat out, horrible balance.

I want to play a wargame. Not a plastic toy solider version of MTG.

There absolutely will be uglier combos later. It is just going to keep getting worse. And track these tournament players. They will flush the armie(s) and by the new one(s) as soon as the next wave of OP hits.
I have no problem with an army getting a "boost" and some new options, but this is just over the top OP. Flat out, horrible balance.

I want to play a wargame. Not a plastic toy solider version of MTG.

Is there any point here except to be disparaging to those who don't play the game the same way you do?

I can tell you that some tourney players will jump ship from dex to dex, as will some fluff players. Sales keep our hobby alive.

I can also tell you that as a tourney player, 5th edition GK was way worse than Tau/Eldar. The early 6th White Dwarf Daemons, albeit short-lived, were absurdly broken.

I understand that you don't want to play "MTG 40k", but some people want to play against the best players bringing the toughest lists. If you don't like it, don't play at tournies. It's that simple. Or, play one of the myriad of viable armies and accept that there is an uphill battle against the top 3. /shrug

Here you go, buddy.

******************


Aaron Aleong-2013 Nova Invitational Champion

Eldar Primary/Tau Allies (Non-conventional list compared to others I saw at nova-MSU like)

Farseer on Jetbike with Singing Spear
Tau Commander with Multi spectrum chip, Puretide chip, onager gauntlet, retro thrusters
5 Dire Avengers in Wave serpent with scatter lasers, shurikan cannon, holofields
5 Dire Avengers in Wave serpent with scatter lasers, shurikan cannon, ghost walk matrix
5 Dire Avengers in Wave serpent with scatter lasers, shuikcan cattapult
3 Eldar jetbike squad
3 eldar jetbike squad
10 kroot with kroot hound
5 fire dragons in Wave serpent with scatter lasers, shuikan cannon, holofields
Riptide with Ion cannon, smart missiles, velocity tracker, early warning override
5 warp spiders
5 warp spiders
2 broadsides with high yield missile pods and smart missile systems with early warning override and 1 missile drone

 JGrand wrote:

There absolutely will be uglier combos later. It is just going to keep getting worse. And track these tournament players. They will flush the armie(s) and by the new one(s) as soon as the next wave of OP hits.
I have no problem with an army getting a "boost" and some new options, but this is just over the top OP. Flat out, horrible balance.

I want to play a wargame. Not a plastic toy solider version of MTG.

Is there any point here except to be disparaging to those who don't play the game the same way you do?

I can tell you that some tourney players will jump ship from dex to dex, as will some fluff players. Sales keep our hobby alive.

I can also tell you that as a tourney player, 5th edition GK was way worse than Tau/Eldar. The early 6th White Dwarf Daemons, albeit short-lived, were absurdly broken.

I understand that you don't want to play "MTG 40k", but some people want to play against the best players bringing the toughest lists. If you don't like it, don't play at tournies. It's that simple. Or, play one of the myriad of viable armies and accept that there is an uphill battle against the top 3. /shrug

I am not trying to disparage anyone. I just think the state of balance in 40K 6th is really bad right now, and codex creep is out of control. I also predict it will continue to get worse going forward.

I disagree about 5th Grey Knights. I was there, I know what the situation was. The Tau\Eldar in 6th are far worse IMO.
The Daemon WD update - I would agree with you. It was the most blatant cash grab I have ever seen out of GW, and one of the worst out of corporate America in general.

The game is horribly, horribly balanced. I remember when Chaos Space Marines 6th came out. Everyone was hoping GW would have the sense to keep future codexes at that level.

In just a few short months, the CSM book is already largely irrelevant and innefective against the new wave of 6th ed codex. It's a bunch of bs.

DOn't worry, the C:SM book stopped the codex creep cold.

I'm not sure its blatant codex creep... I think they are just inept at writing balanced rules... Also allies made competitive 40k worse I think.

5th edition was generally a far worse time. Far more 'gotchas!' Than in 6th. Also CSM are one of the top performers apparently, despite constant complaints.

Main problem now is allies filling in too many weaknesses for armies. Farseers benefit Tau models way more than they benefit Eldar for example.