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Everyone know's Broadsides are amazing as far as firepower. 2+ save is great, but T4... eh. I'm not saying they are underpowered, it's just when I run my single unit of 3x with HYMP + SMS + Target locks they seem to be the first targeted by every S8 and AP2 weapon on the field. This sees them dead quit quickly (1 or 2 die turn 1 and then they are all gone by turn 2 or latest turn 3 usually). Most common armies aren't lacking in these types of firepower either. (Gravs, Bladestorm, Rending, IA blast, Meltas, Plasmas etc.)

Apart from deploying them in ruins, which is still risky vs S8 insta gib weapons, has anyone found a way to keep these guys alive for longer? I have a Buffcommander with the works + Iridium armor + Invul + FNP but he is already protecting and tanking wounds for my 3x Crisis MP unit. So no go there.

Thoughts?

The problem is most folks know they're good and as such are going to make them a priority. If you're just running the ine squad, Shadownsun could help, at least until the rest of your army is engaged and then she can peel off. Your other option is to throw in some drones as ablative wounds, just be ready for the inevitble leadership check. Finally, just double them up, pretty tough to knock two full units of them off the table.

I almost always deployed my Broadsides in cover, even when not expect AP2 spam. However, for a really dirty trick, you can put a team f them inside a fortification. Their save makes them essentially immune to the effects of damage on the building and the building itself is immune to anything St 7 or less. Position so that you'll have a couple of firing ports on each of the main fields of fire you want to cover and the entire squad gets to shoot.

Actually i rarely lose my broadsides just from Rubble cover + the 6 missile drone meatshield infront of them for the lascannons that can reach them. Unless im already losing nothing else that can reliably hurt them is ever close enough to be a threat outside the rando lascannons, and they'd rather pop my vehicles or splat my crisis suits than take out a drone for 3-4 turns before they can hope i fail that 4+ on the broadside lol.

You could technically put commander Buffy with them, but hes a little wasted since the unit doesnt need the reroll to hit (not a total waste just a little waste). Make him tank mode and have him in front.

Outside that, no not really there isnt any way to beef them up. Tbh multiwounded T3/T4 models arent that spectacular to me, these days i rarely get the extra wounds since its either overload of hits or S8+ attacks that are soooo easy to get these days (tau included)

And tbh, if you dont take max missile drones seriously you are wasting your time. They are dirt cheap and serve two purposes. They not only soak wounds (to hell with shield drones theyre just as easy to spork and drones do get Rubble saves since its not model coverage based anymore) but they also spit out additional 12 missilepod shots...yes theyre BS2 and not twinlinked but big deal its more shots. Whats the shield drones do? Stand there and soak infantry fire until they die so the big guns can get the broadsides behind them.

I never buy shield drones except for a firewarrior HQ (ethereal, cadre, or darkstrider via the Shas'ui in the squad hes with) for LoS purposes. They are no harder to kill than any other drone and serve no additional purpose before they die.

 syypher wrote:
Everyone know's Broadsides are amazing as far as firepower. 2+ save is great, but T4... eh. I'm not saying they are underpowered, it's just when I run my single unit of 3x with HYMP + SMS + Target locks they seem to be the first targeted by every S8 and AP2 weapon on the field. This sees them dead quit quickly (1 or 2 die turn 1 and then they are all gone by turn 2 or latest turn 3 usually). Most common armies aren't lacking in these types of firepower either. (Gravs, Bladestorm, Rending, IA blast, Meltas, Plasmas etc.)

Apart from deploying them in ruins, which is still risky vs S8 insta gib weapons, has anyone found a way to keep these guys alive for longer? I have a Buffcommander with the works + Iridium armor + Invul + FNP but he is already protecting and tanking wounds for my 3x Crisis MP unit. So no go there.

Thoughts?

Broadsides just need someone near them to lure the firepower away. like a riptide. Just stick them behind or around it and make the enemy say "do i kill the 36" range missile sides or the 60 inch Riptide? hm...

I always take Shild drones so are you not doing that?

No, everyone takes missile drones. Missile drones are better anyways.

I do take missile drones, it's just that they kill 3, which is an easy feat, and then your taking a LD 8 test... That alone makes me wishing for another buff commander with iridium armor for them to tank wounds :(

Was kind of hoping for a out of the norm strategy I haven't thought of yet that would be viable. Thinking outside the box kind of stuff.

One of my thoughts was to put Ovesa with them and take out the missile drones.

Ovesa + her 2 shield drones (3x T6 models)
and 3x Missilesides

This gives the unit average T6 since if it's split even you take the highest. Yes, she doesn't give the unit ignore cover, tank or monster hunter etc. BUT she gives the unit ridiculous endurance. Ovesa will be in the front with 2+ 3++ 5+++FNP. Since she has an ECPA she will be rolling Nova every turn and getting 3++ invul unless she needs to ripple fire or get ordnance. All the while tanking all the hits and only passing them off if she really really needs to. Since Ovesa has an IA it can reach pretty much anywhere in the board so it works with the static preferred mode of play that Broadsides have.

The problem I had with this is ECPA is unique. And now I can't take it on my Burstide which is a huge let down to it's firepower. Also, the cost of Ovesa is fine IMHO but the fact that I need to take Farsight to get her is another huge cost drop when I'm trying to optimize my army. These 2 factors alone make that tactic no longer viable for me. But for you guys who want to, have at it. It's the best way I could maximize their endurance thinking "outside the norm" of just get ablative wound drones or stay in ruins. (No offense meant to those who suggested that, just looking for something different)

For the cost of protecting them, just run a 2nd unit, and spend the 10 points for the LD9 squad leader.

What's the problem here? Drones + character upgrade for ld9. Or a ld10 bubble with an ethereal nearby.

 koooaei wrote:
What's the problem here? Drones + character upgrade for ld9. Or a ld10 bubble with an ethereal nearby.

I thought the Ethereal can give Stubborn in a 12" bubble around him only. He shares his LD10 too?

I put mine in a bastion. it fits 20 and the broadside take 15. Can even attach a commander in there as well. I belive each fireing port fits 2 models and SMS doesn't care.

Ethereal's LD10 bubble is a stock buff, the Stubborn and other 3 options are what you select each turn. Only his rapid fire perk (+1 shot in rapid fire range) is Firewarrior exclusive because its weapon dependent and only Firewarrior/Pathfinders have said weapons (well...and gun drones but whatever).
Ive actually been known to hide an ethereal IN the broadsides rather than the firewarriors nearby because the broadsides are much harder to remove than the firewarriors and the firewarriors dont have to have him in their unit to get the benefits. It also allows you to let the broadsides sprint and fire snaps (they fire snaps anyway) in the event you face an opponent that outranges you, or theres no good cover except just outside of deployment capabilities. Obviously not at the same time as +1shot for FW, Stubborn, or 6+ FNP.

Theres also your warlord trait potentially being a ld10 bubble. Personally i always roll Command Traits because the 4 of the 6 options that i want at all are all damn good ones (rerolls of 1 in melee and bonus charge range is definitely not what i want).

 DarkLink wrote:
No, everyone takes missile drones. Missile drones are better anyways.

Huh? Everyone takes missile drones? I am pretty certain they don't ALL do that!

I certainly wouldnt recommend bloating the squad with 12 of those. That is a very expensive Drone indeed! Not to mention the cost to you if morale fails after losing just a few. Dangerous gambit.

Using drones is best with a buffmander, he will Twin-Link them while giving the unit Tankhunters or Monsterhunters and Ignores Cover. And makes the leadership issue moot as well, of course. Remember the drone controller doesn't work on missile drones.

Otherwise I'd rather take a second unit of 2 Broadsides than add 6 Missile Drones to an existing unit.

Put Aun'Va with them - Paradox of Duality will take care of the AP1/2 stuff, and if you put them behind and aegis with some FWs he can buff them too. Also moral re-rolls all round!

*EDIT: Wait, what? Aun'Va is not an independent Character? Is my codex wrong, or does this mean he sucks even harder than I already thought he did?

 Jancoran wrote:

 DarkLink wrote:
No, everyone takes missile drones. Missile drones are better anyways.

Huh? Everyone takes missile drones? I am pretty certain they don't ALL do that!

I certainly wouldnt recommend bloating the squad with 12 of those. That is a very expensive Drone indeed! Not to mention the cost to you if morale fails after losing just a few. Dangerous gambit.

Standard loadout for tournament Tau on Broadsides is missile pods plus maxed out missile drones, and that's basically the only way you'll ever see a competitive tau player run them. In more casual setting, you'll see all sorts of stuff.

 Iapedus wrote:
Put Aun'Va with them - Paradox of Duality will take care of the AP1/2 stuff, and if you put them behind and aegis with some FWs he can buff them too. Also moral re-rolls all round!

*EDIT: Wait, what? Aun'Va is not an independent Character? Is my codex wrong, or does this mean he sucks even harder than I already thought he did?

Nope, he sucks donkey dong. Literally if he was either an IC or his staff didnt count as a cover save he would be 1000x better. Right now hes way too easy to pick off.

I like imperial bunkers. cheap, small, wide fire points and can get barricades + gun emplacement

 DarkLink wrote:

 Jancoran wrote:

 DarkLink wrote:
No, everyone takes missile drones. Missile drones are better anyways.

Huh? Everyone takes missile drones? I am pretty certain they don't ALL do that!

I certainly wouldnt recommend bloating the squad with 12 of those. That is a very expensive Drone indeed! Not to mention the cost to you if morale fails after losing just a few. Dangerous gambit.

Standard loadout for tournament Tau on Broadsides is missile pods plus maxed out missile drones, and that's basically the only way you'll ever see a competitive tau player run them. In more casual setting, you'll see all sorts of stuff.

Ha! No way my friend. You can say that, but I have DEFINITELY not needed it. The one time I did it was because it was a 1500 Highlander tournament and so you kinda had to shoehorn things in. Outside of that? No.

WHY would ever pay a ton of points in drones? That makes zero sense. Paranoia over losing three figures doesn't warrant the risk.

Whoever this "competitive" Tau general is that does this always needs a slap to the face. Lol. Dark Eldar, Eldar, and a number of other armies would victimize this. and you definitely don't want those eggs in one basket like that unless there's no way around it (such as in the case of a Highlander type situation)

those 6 extra drones cost 72, not 300 points...

Right right. Fixed it. Not shielded Missile drones. Still an LD check waiting to happen.

Shield Drones would make more sense than missile Drones.

 Vector Strike wrote:
those 6 extra drones cost 72, not 300 points...

True, but for that price you could turn a team of three into two teams of two, forcing the enemy to split his fire if he wants to get rid of them both.

why put the drones in front when you can put them behind the unit? look, broadsides have a 2+ armor and at least a 4+ cover save in ruins. If you're losing them a lot, then your opponents aren't focusing on your markerlights, riptides, and suits. My broadsides wrecked house so hard I stopped playing tau out of boredom.

My load out;
missilesides with 6 missile drones hiding an ethereal
railsides with target lock and a buffmander.

Gg

DirtyDeeds wrote:
why put the drones in front when you can put them behind the unit? look, broadsides have a 2+ armor and at least a 4+ cover save in ruins. If you're losing them a lot, then your opponents aren't focusing on your markerlights, riptides, and suits. My broadsides wrecked house so hard I stopped playing tau out of boredom.

My load out;
missilesides with 6 missile drones hiding an ethereal
railsides with target lock and a buffmander.

Gg

Look out sir qwith a Shas've upfront is a good way to protect the unit against more fire. it helps. I do a similar thing with my Markerdrone Swarm and my Buffmander. Commander takes most hits and then if its Instant Death he looks out sir.

The Missile range is an issue. PLayers say it isn't but thats because they aren't really taking their time. With the Tau Empire a canny foe can pick his targets with high powered weapons instead of trying to eliminate the scariest thing. Missilesides are scary only when in range. A lot of the time, you can be out of their range.

As the Tau player trying to keep his Broadsides alive, I think you have to ask yourself if you're just putting them in danger yourself.

Deploying second is an enormously good thing to do for Tau Empire so do you normally try to go first or second?

Take an Aegis line, or spare the points for a bunker/bastion.

Balance the cost of your units; aim for around 150-200pts/unit.

That way there will be no clear target of opportunity (vs. cost) and if you do loose them, you won't be loosing the biggest chunk.

Keep the cost low.

Work the 36" range; bubblewrap them if you face drop units. They are very difficult to take out outside grav range or plasma double tap range.