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.

So I wrote a 500p list coz there's a fair few playing them at my FLGS and I'm just starting up Tau.

UPDATED LIST:

Tau Empire (499p)
Commander w 2 fusion blasters, target lock, drone controller, advanced targeting system and 2 Gun Drones (155p)

TROOPS
9 FW (81p)
7 FW (63p)

FAST ATTACK
5 Piranhas (200p)

Basic tactics are as follows
- piranha drones detach and join the commander, making a unit that can pay out 24 twin-linked S5 AP5 pinning shots plus another 2 melta shots (w target lock) all at BS5 each turn!
- the fire warriors are there to do what fire warriors do
- and the 5 piranhas are used to whittle away at enemy infantry and intercept assaulting units

C&C always welcome, let me know what you think

The strong point of your list is the absolutely obscene amount of S5 your putting on the board. The weak point is that you only have S5 weapons. AV12+ will ruin your day, so I agree about getting some melta or something.

Interesting idea about the commander, but he does not need a target lock, as there is not that much at this points level worth splitting fire against.

Drop the lock, get some fusion on the piranhas, maybe drop a FW squad, or make 2 squads of 9.

Yeah a dreadnaught list basically auto beats you. But a Wave Serpent list just destroys you. Basically any mechanisation ruins your day.

If you want a TL on the Commander give him missile pods so he has a reason to split fire. Or in the current build dropping the TL allows you to upgrade the tw/l burstcannon to 2 burstcannons upping the average hits of the unit from 27.22 to 30 for the same points.

But that is an obscene amount of S5 for 500 points. Well done.

May I suggest building in 2 XV8 Crisis Suits armed with 2 x NON twin linked missile pods into your list.

These suits will allow you to average 4 S7 AP4 hits per turn which will allow you to deal with a lot of different options on this low point level (excluding AV14). The mobility of the suits and the 36 inch range of the Missile Pods will allow you to harass said unit(s) while keeping your distance. I doubt you'll see much AV13 in the 500 point total but if you do there won't be a lot of other units on the board to worry about and you can use the aforementioned shoot and jump back to glance it to death in 2-3 turns depending on luck and hull points.

Using the General Premise of your previous list you could build them in by doing the following:

HQ
Commander - 2 x burst cannon (non twin-linked), Drone Controller (113 points)

Elites

XV8 Crisis Team - 2 x Crisis Shas'ui with 2 x Missile Pods (104 points)

Troops

6 Fire Warriors (54 points)
6 Fire Warriors (54 points)
6 Fire Warriors (54 points)

Fast Attack

3 Piranhas (120 points)


With this set up your Commander and his Gun Drone Squad would shoot 12 S5 pinning shots @ 18 inches and another 8 non pinning S5 shots at 18 inches from his two burst cannons, with his BS 5 you'd average 16 (+/- 1) S5 hits from this group per firing phase of which on average 2 would result in pinning.

you'd still have your base of fire (18 shots at 30 inches / 36 at 15 inches) from your FWs averaging 9/18 hits respectively

your Piranhas would dish out another 12 Shots per turn averaging 6 hits

So you'd still average around 40 S5 hits per turn (49 if your FWs are all within 15)

the Major difference is that you have the two suits that would average 4 S7 AP4 hits per turn @ 36 inches that will greatly diversify your forces ability to handle armored units.

You can't take 2 separate burst cannons, they have to be twin-linked
But thanks for the advice guys, I think I'm going to swap some FW for 2 fusion blasters
Cheers

you can take two separate burst cannons or for that matter any weapon system; reference the FAQ linked below:

http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m3170231a_Tau_Empire_v1.0_APRIL13.pdf

Yeah you can take 2 of the same weapon non-twin linked it is one of the biggest and best changes in the new codex.

Accually with its not worth it to take two separate missile pods on the suits without any marker lights, you will just be paying 10 more points, however the commander should stay separate cause he's bs 5 already and will get more hits this way.

1 Tw/L MP suit cost 42 points. Average 1.5 hits
2 missile pods suit cost 52 points (24% increase in cost). Average 2 S7 hits (33% increase in damage output).

Even without ML support you're better off with 2 missile pods. With it granted it becomes a no brain choice.

 FlingitNow wrote:
1 Tw/L MP suit cost 42 points. Average 1.5 hits
2 missile pods suit cost 52 points (24% increase in cost). Average 2 S7 hits (33% increase in damage output).

Even without ML support you're better off with 2 missile pods. With it granted it becomes a no brain choice.

This. More shots = more consistency.

I like the modified list posted above. I would try to get a single Fusion Gun on you Commander, though. A single Furioso Dreadnought will ruin your day otherwise.

 DocCheech17 wrote:
you can take two separate burst cannons or for that matter any weapon system; reference the FAQ linked below:

http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m3170231a_Tau_Empire_v1.0_APRIL13.pdf

Ah cheers


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Here's the new list... Chose to keep the burst cannon TL because I didn't want to drop a FW for points

Tau Empire (499p)
HQ
Commander - TL burst cannons, drone controller, advanced targeting system and 2 Gun Drones (135p)

TROOPS
8 Fire Warriors (72p)
8 Fire Warriors (72p)

FAST ATTACK
5 Piranhas - 2 fusion blasters (220p)

Thoughts?

Hi I like the piranhas I think they should be in every tau list but you must use dis pods on them having a 4+ cover save will make them survive a lot longer

I run three piranhas one with fusion two with burst cannons and all with dis pods and I have them as three separate units that way you move up your fusion to 9" get to roll extra dice to pen vehicles and have the two burst cannons follow to kill anything that was in the vehicle you just destroyed

 Afro Tau wrote:
Hi I like the piranhas I think they should be in every tau list but you must use dis pods on them having a 4+ cover save will make them survive a lot longer

I run three piranhas one with fusion two with burst cannons and all with dis pods and I have them as three separate units that way you move up your fusion to 9" get to roll extra dice to pen vehicles and have the two burst cannons follow to kill anything that was in the vehicle you just destroyed

But then you don't get a free gun drone unit

Brother Payne wrote:

 DocCheech17 wrote:
you can take two separate burst cannons or for that matter any weapon system; reference the FAQ linked below:

http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m3170231a_Tau_Empire_v1.0_APRIL13.pdf

Ah cheers


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Here's the new list... Chose to keep the burst cannon TL because I didn't want to drop a FW for points

Tau Empire (499p)
HQ
Commander - TL burst cannons, drone controller, advanced targeting system and 2 Gun Drones (135p)

TROOPS
8 Fire Warriors (72p)
8 Fire Warriors (72p)

FAST ATTACK
5 Piranhas - 2 fusion blasters (220p)

Thoughts?

I would much rather see the Fusion Guns on the commander over the Piranhas. The unit should have a dedicated weapon set. Versatility is too expensive and inefficient at 500 pts, imo.

 Gorgosaurusrex wrote:
I would much rather see the Fusion Guns on the commander over the Piranhas. The unit should have a dedicated weapon set. Versatility is too expensive and inefficient at 500 pts, imo.

Fair point. Cheaper too. What do recon, TL, two separate or just one fusion blaster?

I can tell you my 500p list but I definitely wasnt making friends with it


Aun'va (prob a little overkill for 500p)
8 fire warriors
8 fire warriors
6 pathfinders
riptide with ion accelorator and EWO

I won the 500p tourney with that...
Like I said, people werent very happy seeing a riptide at 500p
but it worked

Okay so I changed the fusion blasters to the commander which keeps the piranhas with a dedicated weapon set:

Tau Empire (499p)
HQ
Commander - 2 fusion blasters, target lock, drone controller, advanced targeting system and 2 Gun Drones (155p)

TROOPS
8 Fire Warriors (72p)
8 Fire Warriors (72p)

FAST ATTACK
5 Piranhas (200p)

Brother Payne wrote:
Okay so I changed the fusion blasters to the commander which keeps the piranhas with a dedicated weapon set:

Tau Empire (499p)
HQ
Commander - 2 fusion blasters, target lock, drone controller, advanced targeting system and 2 Gun Drones (155p)

TROOPS
8 Fire Warriors (72p)
8 Fire Warriors (72p)

FAST ATTACK
5 Piranhas (200p)

This is great. I would stick with this. You have plenty of firepower and answers to the most common threats at this points level.

 Gorgosaurusrex wrote:

Brother Payne wrote:
Okay so I changed the fusion blasters to the commander which keeps the piranhas with a dedicated weapon set:

Tau Empire (499p)
HQ
Commander - 2 fusion blasters, target lock, drone controller, advanced targeting system and 2 Gun Drones (155p)

TROOPS
8 Fire Warriors (72p)
8 Fire Warriors (72p)

FAST ATTACK
5 Piranhas (200p)

This is great. I would stick with this. You have plenty of firepower and answers to the most common threats at this points level.

cheers
All C&C welcome as always

Agreed looking more solid now but still keeps the original theme (OMG S5 to the face)...

 FlingitNow wrote:
Agreed looking more solid now but still keeps the original theme (OMG S5 to the face)...

I wish you had 9 Man FW Squads instead as it would take 3 dead FW to force Leadership.

Feasible wrote:I wish you had 9 Man FW Squads instead as it would take 3 dead FW to force Leadership.

True but....

FlingitNow wrote:OMG S5 to the face...

Brother Payne wrote:

Feasible wrote:I wish you had 9 Man FW Squads instead as it would take 3 dead FW to force Leadership.

True but....

FlingitNow wrote:OMG S5 to the face...

I hope you realize that you could have a 9 Man Squad and a 7 Man Squad....they would take 3 and 2 casualties respectively till they need leadership instead of 2 each.

 Feasible wrote:

Brother Payne wrote:

Feasible wrote:I wish you had 9 Man FW Squads instead as it would take 3 dead FW to force Leadership.

True but....

FlingitNow wrote:OMG S5 to the face...

I hope you realize that you could have a 9 Man Squad and a 7 Man Squad....they would take 3 and 2 casualties respectively till they need leadership instead of 2 each.

good point. Consider it done