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So I know back last edition it was all about TauDar brofists, but what do the little blue men from near ultramar do nowadays on the competitive scene? I have a guy starting them asking for advice and I don't know what changed for them in 7th.

Riptides, rinse, repeat as needed.

Missilesides are pretty solid as well.

Basically the Tau firebase formation is very good. Add it to just about anything, even nids!

Consider FE? It frees up Elites for Riptides, with Crisis Suits in Troops.

As much as tau has solid units all around (and some over the top), as a whole they just don't work in the higher competitive level.

The lack of allied combos others have, or the raw power of the necrons is hurting us. we got the IA riptide and the HYMP broadsides as crutchs that hold things up, but beyond them we just stay in the "good" realm, never quite reaching the "game braking combo" realm that IoM and the combined eldar can reach.
We still take decent participation and win %, but no longer are we slotted in the top10 of big turnies very often.

 BoomWolf wrote:
As much as tau has solid units all around (and some over the top), as a whole they just don't work in the higher competitive level.

The lack of allied combos others have, or the raw power of the necrons is hurting us. we got the IA riptide and the HYMP broadsides as crutchs that hold things up, but beyond them we just stay in the "good" realm, never quite reaching the "game braking combo" realm that IoM and the combined eldar can reach.
We still take decent participation and win %, but no longer are we slotted in the top10 of big turnies very often.

The army is still competitive though right? Its just gonna rely on the player to do more and actually outplay his opponent more so then eldar or the imperium... Right? Also do allies of convenience help them out at all?

Maker lights are the start of any successful tau build imo

 arinnoor wrote:

 BoomWolf wrote:
As much as tau has solid units all around (and some over the top), as a whole they just don't work in the higher competitive level.

The lack of allied combos others have, or the raw power of the necrons is hurting us. we got the IA riptide and the HYMP broadsides as crutchs that hold things up, but beyond them we just stay in the "good" realm, never quite reaching the "game braking combo" realm that IoM and the combined eldar can reach.
We still take decent participation and win %, but no longer are we slotted in the top10 of big turnies very often.

The army is still competitive though right? Its just gonna rely on the player to do more and actually outplay his opponent more so then eldar or the imperium... Right? Also do allies of convenience help them out at all?

The Allies of Convenience don't help out too much. Really just do whatever can skew your win ratio for your meta. For example, Tau + Leviathan Nids with 3x Flyrants got best Tau at LVO. Was ran by a great general too though. For example if your meta has few anti-flyer, attaching the Leviathan Nids would greatly boost your armies power level. OVER 9000! lol

Tau alone is still competitive. I run Farsight + Tau allies. The only thing is though, after playing them back in 6e and now again, you can tell a difference. Because of everyones shiny new toys or just upgraded toys they have all been "brought up" to our level or better. What this means for us is that we still have very strong units, but now we must definitely take those units as crutches to make our army compete overall.

Also, it's not as easy to play as some other armies. Let me use Eldar as an example, since I have experience playing them. They have a lot of firepower just like we do, except they have a much more stable platform that is also much faster than our move + JSJ. (Wave Serpents) Though they got nerfed a bit since it's FAQd you can't jink when immobile now, they are still superior to us in their movement. We can dish out just as much firepower with better quality with ML support, but it requires a support system. Without Marker Lights (most Tau lists are built around it) our shooting becomes mediocre at best. Eldar doesn't require all that support. Did I mention they were faster than us?

That's just a MINOR example in Eldar and in just 1 army across all the top armies now. (Eldar, Centstar, Daemon summoning etc.) We can compete but:

1) It'll be harder since we arent the "OP" we use to be
2) We will pay for our mistakes much more than the power armies.
3) Our army building process (if going just Tau) is more streamlined and there's little flexibility. In other words, we need to take our power units to fully compete with the top dogs.

My .02c hopefully that wasn't too boring

Tbh the only reason people viewed Tau as top tier, aka the ultimate OP race in the game, was because of eldar brofisting riptide spam. Even that could be countered but the problem was you couldnt counter it easily without a dedicated list, which you shouldnt be doing in a tournament because if you face other lists then yours is pointless.

Mind you i dont play tournaments but i do face people that do. Bad timings and no real desire to play 40k in a 100% "as written" gameset as to why i dont play the tournaments (face it everyone has little dumb querks in the 7th ed rules that make no sense so its either houseruled or just ignored).

I run speedbump lists, to put it shortly. Piranhas w/ their drones and distraction riptides while my MP crisis suits and broadsides and hammerheads goto town. Daemons are the only race thats given me severe issues and thats more contributed to my opponent always getting that lucky fething 4++ at the end of his turn early in the game.

Tau need something to keep the enemy at bay. You can technically do it with allies, or you could do what i do and bring throwaway units. Believe me, Piranhas make an insane speedbump lol. I do the same thing with my Orks and man it irritates people rofl

Taudar is not dead there can still be good synergy. Doom. Misfortune. Tau Gunline with Eldar Jetbikes stealing late. Riptides plus Wraithknights is fun. That what I run a lot.

Several tau players amongst the top at Caledonian Uprising this year. Triptide plus Ad Lance. Broadside spam PLUS Firebase Support Cadre (for 15 Broadsides!!). Also quite a lot of people usingg tetras and crisis/riptide deep striking techniques to put their opponent on the back foot.

I donot think the thing of devilfish and min firewarrior squads that people were chatting about at the start of seventh works at all, but I'm sure a full Tau Gunline can be scary. With tonnes of Fire warriors and broadsides all behind an aegis backed up by stubborn/rate-of-fire Ethereals.

Tau are good. But you have to be much smarter with them now.

Our 3 AoC (Harlequins are in!) are interesting additions to us.

Eldar provide debuffs and speed Tau lack. Striking Scorpions are reasonable melee, War Walkers provide S6, Swooping Hawks can deal with hordes and Dark Reapers are more or less S8 broadsides (with inherent ignores jink). Guardians with a Warlock can safely guard an objective and Wave Serpents... why not more ignores cover?

Necrons give us durability, a good infiltrate unit (Flayed Ones) and melee potential (Praetorians, Wraiths)

Harlequins provide melee and speed as well. I'm yet to test a Tau list with Harlequins filled with Caresses

Just think about what Tau lack and use AoC for that.

15 broadsides?

so.....50usd each....thats 750USD for the broadsides alone....

Much as i love my broadsides i refuse to field more than 3 because of that cost rofl. The dollar to point ratio is horrible for them. Riptides cost like ~100pts less and dollar-wise cost HALF that of a fully decked out broadside unit lol. Just to show how bad they are point to dollar-wise.

Ive done a fair amount about Tau on my blog so you might have your new player check that out.

It also contains battle reports he might find edifying.

 Jancoran wrote:
Ive done a fair amount about Tau on my blog so you might have your new player check that out.

It also contains battle reports he might find edifying.

checked out your blog and you recommend that a Drone Controller be taken for the Commander... Does that work? Something is triggering in my mind that it doesn't, but I haven't seen nor played Tau since early sixth.

a drone controller turns all gun drones and marker drones in its unit to BS5. if the commander has a target lock, then there is effectively no downside.

 arinnoor wrote:

 Jancoran wrote:
Ive done a fair amount about Tau on my blog so you might have your new player check that out.

It also contains battle reports he might find edifying.

checked out your blog and you recommend that a Drone Controller be taken for the Commander... Does that work? Something is triggering in my mind that it doesn't, but I haven't seen nor played Tau since early sixth.

Why wouldn't that be possible? Commander can take every single item in the wargear table, except a Missile Drone

Totally legal. Do it up.

Thats why Firesight Marksman are so cool

Drone Controller is basically built for a commander to use it. It makes the drones in his unit BS5, which is hilarious in a lot of situations.

A tactic i used to do but ditched it for more firewarriors, fish, and an ethereal for more numbers was attach a random duo Burst commander with the 10 drones my Piranha dump off. Now thats 10 gun drones with BS5, twinlinked, and arent worth a point if they die that i basically got for free because i always bring my speedbump piranhas anyway. Its 28 S5 AP5 shots at 18" that are all BS5, 20 of which are TL and PInning lol. As long as they can wound decently, i dont care what your armor is something is dead with that many shots.

Dont underestimate gun drones. Theyre only bad at BS2. Even a couple markers to make them BS4 is all they need to become insane.

Yeah, but the controller is only helping Gun and Marker drones right? If those aren't being taken then what is the point?

Gun/Mark/Snipers yes. And what army doesnt have drones at all....theyre so good.

My drones are just the bastard that detach from the tanks and go bother people XD

Drones are nice and all, but I just cant FIT them in. so many stuff to take first...

BoomWolf, you better change that paradigm! And fast.

a Markerdrone Swarm at BS 5 that re-rolls 1's? that mans whatever target you select now is DEAD. Your entire army can nuclear strike it and unlike Pathfindrs who are T3 with 5+ saves, the Drones are T4 and a 4+ save.

The Drone Controller on the Firesight Mrksman means you're getting three BS 5 Markerlights to use and then BS 5 Sniper Drones just because. The Snipr Drones are just gravy and added offense. The real gem are the three Marksmen gaining you a Stealth'd BS 5 set of Markerlights.

I'm telling you, Pathfinders as Markerlight Caddies is so yesteryear. Pathfinders are now elite assassins in my list and never fire a Markerlight ever.

Two of the MarkerDrones can be two points cheaper, each, if you take them with the Commander. Also lets you detach if you absolutely needed to and engage two targets instead of one (though this would be rare)

Added bonus, they can fire and then jump with the Commander, a fighting withdrawal that also lets you re-arrange them in circles to minimize enemy blast weapons. the Commnder at the head of the unit gives you a 2+ save with FnP to protect the drones.

All in all, I cant even imagine an army buld that doesnto make use of these but i suppoe theres proof right here that they exist.

I'd definitely shift that paradigm.

I literally cannot get away from this unit. Its just too damn strong and useful, even if its around 500pts to bring.

Commander Buffy 218pts
Flamer (Overwatch reasons only, had a free slot so why not), Shield Generator, Stims, and Drone Controller.
Sig. Systems: Iridium, MSSS, CnCN, PEN, and i usually slap Gauntlet and NSJ for the odd chance it comes up.

Attached to:

3x Crisis Suits 243pts
w/ Duo MP and TLock
6 Markerdrones

Thats 6 BS5 and rerolling hits Markerlights while giving the Buffmander benefits to a crisis suit team, and buffy is so damn tanky its highly HIGHLY unlikely he gets picked off at a distance. The odd S10 hit that you find that shoots that far just 2+ LoS it to a drone.

Daemons are the only race thats been able to deal with that unit and ive been using it for around a year. 6 ML's that basically ALWAYS land mark a unit for ultimate death from 2-3 other units while the MP suits splitshot to a vehicle, big bug, or numbers.

I have tried to not bring a buffmander, thus not bringing this unit because it dies way too easy without him. My markerlight support is usually what hurts the most because i dont own any tetras or the rulebook for them and pathfinders.....god i HATE PATHFINDERS lol...so squishy...