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Hey all, so I started a little Tau army (an XV8 Commander and some troops) a few years ago, and now seems like the perfect time to build it up into a tournament contender.

This is what I've come up with so far:

Primary Detatchment: Tau Empire

HQ:

Commander
- Iridium Armor, C+C Node, PEN, MSSS, VRT, Onager Gauntlet

Ethereal

Elites:

Riptide
- Ion Accelerator, TL-SMS, EWO
- 2 Shielded Missile Drones

Troops:

10 Kroot Carnivores

10 Kroot Carnivores

10 Kroot Carnivores

10 Kroot Carnivores

Heavy Support:

Sky Ray
- Blacksun filter, Disruption Pod

Sky Ray
- Blacksun filter, Disruption Pod

Allied Detatchment:

HQ:

Farsight

Honour-Shas'vre O'vesa

Elites:

Riptide
- Heavy Burst Cannon, TL-SMS, Talisman of Arthas Moloch, EWO, Target Lock
- 2 Shielded Missile Drones

Troops:

XV8 Crisis Team (compulsory)
- 3 Crisis Shas'ui
- Bonding Knife Ritual, Missile pod

XV8 Crisis Team
- 1 Crisis Shas'ui
- Bonding Knife Ritual, Missile Pod

Total: 1849

So I'm not running as many Riptides as some of the lists I've seen, and taking more Sky Rays and troops for scoring and support. The only things that I'm not sold on are the Kroot and the Ethereal. In the other Tau lists I've run I have used Fire Warriors, but they're more expensive and I'd have less scoring units. Also I'm not 100% sure what to do with the Ethereal in this list, I've seen it included in some O'vesa stars to go with the Kroot but I'm not sure if the extra VP given up is worth the boost of Stubborn.

But the biggest questions I have are with tactics, especially the subtleties. I know the primary idea is to use the Deathstar to move up and control the center of the board, while the Sky Rays give support and high BS markerlights from the back field. Troops get held in reserves and Outlfank or Deep Strike (hopefully later game) to round up objectives.

However, outside of that, is there anything else to it? What tactics aren't a part of the obvious? What units and targets should I be aiming for first, and what should I be looking out for that will pose the greatest threat?

Or do I have the list fundamentally wrong? Am I wrong to drop a Riptide and thus some of the firepower?

Thanks in advance!

Think I was wrong.

Cogito wrote:
Think I was wrong.

I didn't get to read your reply before the edit, but thanks for the reply!

Just gonna bump this up again, it's fallen off the first page and I haven't gotten a response yet. I'd appreciate any insight!

Tactics for this list is pretty easy,
Point and shoot,
watch everything die

illegal list, Farsight has to be your warlord to have access to the eight. Also what good is the ethereal doing? Drop him and add more kroot.

valace2 wrote:
illegal list, Farsight has to be your warlord to have access to the eight. Also what good is the ethereal doing? Drop him and add more kroot.

I can't find where in the supplement it says this, unless you're referring to the fact that it says that "In a Faright Enclaves army, you have access to a special unit called Farsight's Commander Team" and that would disqualify this list because the primary detachment isn't Farsight Enclaves. I can't find anywhere that it says Farsight has to be your warlord.

Good point with the Ethereal though, I was most iffy on him than any unit in the codex. Should I just beef up the existing squads of Kroot? Or should I try and find 10 more points in order to get a whole new squad?

Thanks for the replies!

http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m3520198a_Farsight_Enclaves_v1.0_OCTOBER13.pdf

I wouldn't beef them up without Markerlights. I run a similar setup, but instead of the 3rd Riptide I run a commander with drone controller and squad of marker drones. also you are lacking in plasma and fusion, I would try to fit a few more suits with fusion/plasma.

Hello,

Although I know it would be convenient to re-post all of my info for you here, I have 2 or three threads that have gotten multiple responses that I have found really helpful. I only have 1 loss with my O'Vesa star after the advice, so I would take it. The winner of NOVA also posted some of his thoughts too, so you should totally check it out! Here are the links:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/566199.page

A batrep of how I screwed up, learn from this:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/566692.page

Thats all I can find for now. If you need more, let me know, I would be happy to let you know more about the army!

Yeah, go primary Farsight Enclaves. Looks pretty standard otherwise.

Remember to shoot your opponent!

Lucarikx

 Commander_Farsight wrote:
Hello,

Although I know it would be convenient to re-post all of my info for you here, I have 2 or three threads that have gotten multiple responses that I have found really helpful. I only have 1 loss with my O'Vesa star after the advice, so I would take it. The winner of NOVA also posted some of his thoughts too, so you should totally check it out! Here are the links:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/566199.page

A batrep of how I screwed up, learn from this:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/566692.page

Thats all I can find for now. If you need more, let me know, I would be happy to let you know more about the army!

Are you still running the fire warriors?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Farsight 165pts

O'Vesa 305pts

Commander w/ Drone Controller and 2x Marker Drones 117pts

Riptide w/ Talisman, EWO, and Target Lock (Ion Accelerator and TL Fusion) 220pts

XV-8 Team #1 244pts
2x XV-8 w/ 4x Plasma and Drone Controller
XV-8 w/ 2x Fusion and Target Lock
6x Gun Drones

XV-8 Team #2 222pts
2x XV-8 w/ Fusion Blaster and Plasma Rifle
Shas'Vre w/ 2x Plasma Gun
4x Shield Drones

XV-8 Team #3 178pts
XV-8 w/ 2x Missile Pods
Shas-Vre w/ 2x Missile Pods and Drone Controller
4x Marker Drones

4x Marker Drones 56pts

Commander w/ MSS, C&C Node, Puretide Chip, and Iridium Armour 160pts

16x Kroot w/ Sniper rounds 112pts
10x Kroot w/ Sniper rounds 70pts

This is the list I run at 1850. I like what the Crisis suits can do, I also don't run Farsight with the Riptides I run him with one of the split fusion/plasma squads. Its not perfect, but I have done very well with it, some people might tell you the shield drones are a waste, but I like them.

Thanks everyone for the advice so far (especially valace2, I would've never found that errata most likely)! Before reading the linked threads (which I plan to thoroughly) here's the updated list:

Primary: Farsight Enclaves

HQ:

Farsight

Honour-Shas'vre O'vesa

Elites:

Riptide
- Heavy Burst Cannon, TL-SMS, Talisman of Arthas Moloch, EWO, Target Lock
- 2 Shielded Missile Drones

Riptide
- Ion Accelerator, TL-SMS, EWO, VT
- 2 Shielded Missile Drones

Troops:

XV8 Crisis Team (compulsory)
- 3 Crisis Shas'ui
- Bonding Knife Ritual, Missile pod

XV8 Crisis Team
- 1 Crisis Shas'ui
- Bonding Knife Ritual, Missile Pod

10 Kroot Carnivores

10 Kroot Carnivores

Heavy Support:

Sky Ray
- Blacksun filter, Disruption Pod

Sky Ray
- Blacksun filter, Disruption Pod

Allied Detatchment: Tau Empire

HQ:

Commander
- Iridium Armor, C+C Node, PEN, MSSS, VRT, Onager Gauntlet

Troops:

10 Kroot Carnivores

10 Kroot Carnivores

Total: 1848



I'm also curious as to how the Fire Warriors are working out for you, as I have quite a few Fire Warriors myself and don't have all the Kroot in my list in my posession quite yet and if they work out well that could save me some money!

Why are you running missile drones with the riptides? That is a huge risk, for next to no reward

@valace2

No I don't run Fire Warriors in this list. I do in my gun line Tau list because they are the bomb when partners with and Ethereal, but no. They sacrifice mobility for some extra fire power compared to the Kroot and I find it very useless. They are like sitting mechanized ducks on objectives, waiting to be fried by the flames of hell via the Helldrake's baleflamer.

@Tarnag

The updated list looks good compared to the first list, but I think that there can be some work done to make it even better. First off you want to have 2/3 Riptides take the HBC. This is because even though its fun to drop pie plates that are S9 AP2 on your opponent, taking down fliers and air cav lists are more important. If anything, give target locks to the 2 Bursttides that you should be taking.

Secondly, if you are taking Crisis Teams with MPs then you want them to have 2, provided you can fit it. Only one does not put out that many shots, and statistically 2x MPs put out more damage than one TL MP. The single Crisis suit should take a flamer. Being that he is by himself you want him to protect himself. Personally I would never take a single suit due to the fact that you are serving first blood to your opponent on a silver platter. They do take up a good small amount of points though

Third; the 2 Kroot squads should all take sniper rounds and 1 hound with them. The hound lets you re-roll the edge they come in from, and that has helped me sooo many times!

Finally, the Crisis Commander is almost perfect, but I always drop the Iridium Armor due to how expensive it is. Even though the Buffmander (Toolbox Commander) is very important, if you play it correctly and put him safe in the center or back of the death star, you will be fine. Also the VRT is a great touch! I personally really dislike the Onager Gauntlet. Although it can be helpful, it isnt IMO in this list.

I know this may seem like alot, and Im not trying to come off as mean, but just want to give you some constructive criticism so your list can be the best it can be!

@Imnewherewheresthebathroom

Shielded Missile Drones are good. I like them because they just put out even more shots. They have helped me finish off a unit multiple times. What you are SUPPOSED to do with them is conga line them both behind the riptide so the Riptide takes the damage with its 2+ save and also then you avoid the unit having to take morale if one gun drone goes down. They drones are expensive though and I would drop them sometimes to pack in more. An example is if you feel like Iridium armor is very necessary on the commander, just drop the 2 drones and take it. Then you would even have some more points after that.

Commander_Farsight, trust me this isn't coming off as mean, it's IMMENSELY helpful and I welcome any criticism and comments at all, you've been incredibly constructive and I welcome more! As soon as I'm home I'll read through that battle report you linked because I feel like that's gonna give me a great feel of how this list plays.

Great! If after you go through them or what I have written and have any questions, I would be happy to answer them!

Although haven't been playing for too long compared to most of the people in my gaming community, I would totally consider myself as a minor Tau expert due to my 48+ hours spent combing over every piece of strategy and info on the internet and enjoying the Tau fluff and rules.

Imnewherewheresthebathroom wrote:
Why are you running missile drones with the riptides? That is a huge risk, for next to no reward

Makes the death star majority t6

 Tarnag wrote:

Imnewherewheresthebathroom wrote:
Why are you running missile drones with the riptides? That is a huge risk, for next to no reward

Makes the death star majority t6

ohh, I forgot about that!

 Commander_Farsight wrote:

 Tarnag wrote:

Imnewherewheresthebathroom wrote:
Why are you running missile drones with the riptides? That is a huge risk, for next to no reward

Makes the death star majority t6

ohh, I forgot about that!

Do you run Farsight with O'Vesa, the support commander and the other Riptide? I don't but I know a lot of players do, but you still don't need your Riptides to have drones, because O'Vesa comes stock with 2.

So you have O'Vesa, his drones and the 2nd Riptide all at T6 and then Farsight and the Support Commander. If you want to have fun give the Iridium armour to the support commander, then you have 4 T6 models, a T5 model, and then Farsight at T4.

On the Riptide who is all alone, the drones are a bad idea because if he loses one, then he has to take a moral check. Yes his leadership is 9, but its possible for him to fail. No drones, no morale checks. he is T6, with 5 wounds and a 2+5+(possible 2+3+ if he uses the nova reactor). He doesn't need extra wounds.

valace2 wrote:

 Commander_Farsight wrote:

 Tarnag wrote:

Imnewherewheresthebathroom wrote:
Why are you running missile drones with the riptides? That is a huge risk, for next to no reward

Makes the death star majority t6

ohh, I forgot about that!

Do you run Farsight with O'Vesa, the support commander and the other Riptide? I don't but I know a lot of players do, but you still don't need your Riptides to have drones, because O'Vesa comes stock with 2.

So you have O'Vesa, his drones and the 2nd Riptide all at T6 and then Farsight and the Support Commander. If you want to have fun give the Iridium armour to the support commander, then you have 4 T6 models, a T5 model, and then Farsight at T4.

On the Riptide who is all alone, the drones are a bad idea because if he loses one, then he has to take a moral check. Yes his leadership is 9, but its possible for him to fail. No drones, no morale checks. he is T6, with 5 wounds and a 2+5+(possible 2+3+ if he uses the nova reactor). He doesn't need extra wounds.

Yeah with the deathstar I keep everything in one, and the extra drones are to keep it majority t6 for longer. I have the drones on the extra Riptide right now just so I could switch between having the HBC and the Iontide in the star, but if I'm gonna be running both with the HBC then the one outside of the star doesn't really need it, once he joins the star it'll be later in the game anyway (if he does at all).

Now Commander_Farsight, if you run both with the HBC, do you run into trouble with the non-star Riptide with Gets Hot? I feel like without Twin Linked he's gonna be hurting, but I've never played an HBC without a Buff Commander so I very well could be wrong. I'm working on a new list with the new information now.

 Tarnag wrote:

valace2 wrote:

 Commander_Farsight wrote:

 Tarnag wrote:

Imnewherewheresthebathroom wrote:
Why are you running missile drones with the riptides? That is a huge risk, for next to no reward

Makes the death star majority t6

ohh, I forgot about that!

Do you run Farsight with O'Vesa, the support commander and the other Riptide? I don't but I know a lot of players do, but you still don't need your Riptides to have drones, because O'Vesa comes stock with 2.

So you have O'Vesa, his drones and the 2nd Riptide all at T6 and then Farsight and the Support Commander. If you want to have fun give the Iridium armour to the support commander, then you have 4 T6 models, a T5 model, and then Farsight at T4.

On the Riptide who is all alone, the drones are a bad idea because if he loses one, then he has to take a moral check. Yes his leadership is 9, but its possible for him to fail. No drones, no morale checks. he is T6, with 5 wounds and a 2+5+(possible 2+3+ if he uses the nova reactor). He doesn't need extra wounds.

Yeah with the deathstar I keep everything in one, and the extra drones are to keep it majority t6 for longer. I have the drones on the extra Riptide right now just so I could switch between having the HBC and the Iontide in the star, but if I'm gonna be running both with the HBC then the one outside of the star doesn't really need it, once he joins the star it'll be later in the game anyway (if he does at all).

Now Commander_Farsight, if you run both with the HBC, do you run into trouble with the non-star Riptide with Gets Hot? I feel like without Twin Linked he's gonna be hurting, but I've never played an HBC without a Buff Commander so I very well could be wrong. I'm working on a new list with the new information now.

Even if they manage to kill both of O'Vesa's drones the unit is still at T6, if you have lost a Riptide and are down to a Riptide and the 2 smaller suits, then you are already in trouble and T6 obviously isn't helping. The drones are nice they have a 4+ invuln and they can spit out a couple of missiles, but if you drop them you can fit in 2 more crisis suits. The O'Vesa star won't win you the game on its own.

valace2 wrote:

 Tarnag wrote:

valace2 wrote:

 Commander_Farsight wrote:

 Tarnag wrote:

Imnewherewheresthebathroom wrote:
Why are you running missile drones with the riptides? That is a huge risk, for next to no reward

Makes the death star majority t6

ohh, I forgot about that!

Do you run Farsight with O'Vesa, the support commander and the other Riptide? I don't but I know a lot of players do, but you still don't need your Riptides to have drones, because O'Vesa comes stock with 2.

So you have O'Vesa, his drones and the 2nd Riptide all at T6 and then Farsight and the Support Commander. If you want to have fun give the Iridium armour to the support commander, then you have 4 T6 models, a T5 model, and then Farsight at T4.

On the Riptide who is all alone, the drones are a bad idea because if he loses one, then he has to take a moral check. Yes his leadership is 9, but its possible for him to fail. No drones, no morale checks. he is T6, with 5 wounds and a 2+5+(possible 2+3+ if he uses the nova reactor). He doesn't need extra wounds.

Yeah with the deathstar I keep everything in one, and the extra drones are to keep it majority t6 for longer. I have the drones on the extra Riptide right now just so I could switch between having the HBC and the Iontide in the star, but if I'm gonna be running both with the HBC then the one outside of the star doesn't really need it, once he joins the star it'll be later in the game anyway (if he does at all).

Now Commander_Farsight, if you run both with the HBC, do you run into trouble with the non-star Riptide with Gets Hot? I feel like without Twin Linked he's gonna be hurting, but I've never played an HBC without a Buff Commander so I very well could be wrong. I'm working on a new list with the new information now.

Even if they manage to kill both of O'Vesa's drones the unit is still at T6, if you have lost a Riptide and are down to a Riptide and the 2 smaller suits, then you are already in trouble and T6 obviously isn't helping. The drones are nice they have a 4+ invuln and they can spit out a couple of missiles, but if you drop them you can fit in 2 more crisis suits. The O'Vesa star won't win you the game on its own.

Very good point, and that frees up enough points for the Kroot Hounds and sniper rounds on all 4 squads of Kroot, as well as another single Crisis Suit and 18 points left over (which I really don't know where to spend).

Ends up here:

Primary: Farsight Enclaves

HQ:

Farsight

Honour-Shas'vre O'vesa

Elites:

Riptide
- Heavy Burst Cannon, TL-SMS, Talisman of Arthas Moloch, EWO, Target Lock
- 2 Shielded Missile Drones

Riptide
- Heavy Burst Cannon, TL-SMS, EWO, VT

Troops:

XV8 Crisis Team (compulsory)
- 3 Crisis Shas'ui
- Bonding Knife Ritual, Missile pod x2

XV8 Crisis Team
- 1 Crisis Shas'ui
- Bonding Knife Ritual, Flamer

XV8 Crisis Team
- 1 Crisis Shas'ui
- Bonding Knife Ritual, Flamer

10 Kroot Carnivores
- Sniper Rounds, 1 Kroot Hound

10 Kroot Carnivores
- Sniper Rounds, 1 Kroot Hound

Heavy Support:

Sky Ray
- Blacksun filter, Disruption Pod

Sky Ray
- Blacksun filter, Disruption Pod

Allied Detatchment: Tau Empire

HQ:

Commander
- Iridium Armor, C+C Node, PEN, MSSS, VRT

Troops:

10 Kroot Carnivores
- Sniper Rounds, 1 Kroot Hound

10 Kroot Carnivores
- Sniper Rounds, 1 Kroot Hound

Total: 1832 (18 remaining that I have no idea where to put, I could take off the Blacksun Filters and give the two single XV8s Missile Pods rather than Flamers, that's where I'm leaning now).

7! Scoring units, Kroot that come in where I want them, more powerful suits, and 2 HBCs, I'm loving this so far and all the tactics advice so far has been fantastic.

I would turn them into suicide suits and give them fusion blasters to deal with heavy armour. You have covered alot of your bases already.

valace2 wrote:
I would turn them into suicide suits and give them fusion blasters to deal with heavy armour. You have covered alot of your bases already.

Probably the route I'm going to go, if they come in too early (before First Blood is decided) then I'll just hide them in cover like I would for the Flamer guys, but late game that anti-tank could be clutch. All my suits are magnetized so as long as I trade the points for something equal I can swap it around game to game once I get everything together and start testing, those little tweaks I don't mind.

So when I use the HBCtide I don't mind the gets hot. Honestly, its a Riptide, it gets a 2+ Save! Yes you still have a 1/6 chance of failing, but if you have a Buffmander too, you will have no problems.