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Hey everyone,

I've been looking into starting a FSE force, and this is what I've come up with so far:
Commander - 2x MP, TL, DC, 2x Marker Drones

3x XV8 - 2x MP, TL, 4x Marker Drones
2x XV8 - 2x FB
2x XV8 - 2x FB
3x XV8 - 3x MP

Riptide - IA, FB, EWO
Riptide - HBC, ECPA, VT, SMS

3x XV9 - 2x TLBC, CDS

R'Varna
3x XV88 - HYMP, SMS

Comes to 1860, so I need to trim 10 points from somewhere. It includes the two things I wanted if I start a FSE army: XV9's and the R'Varna (though I would have liked to include a Y'vahra as well). If need be, I can change the XV9's to a regular XV8 burst cannon team to save some points. I was contemplating the idea of using XV9's as XV8's anyway...

Hopefully there's nothing majorly wrong with this list. I'm looking to spend big on 40k soon, and it's either this or Ad Mech.

Thanks for your help!

To cut your points, I'd make the 3-man missile team twin-linked. They're not a high priority for marker support anyway.

That saves you 30 points. So you it costs you 10 to get legal and with the remaining 20 you can give the HBC tide EWO and buy another marker drone.

 The Shrike wrote:
To cut your points, I'd make the 3-man missile team twin-linked. They're not a high priority for marker support anyway.

That saves you 30 points. So you it costs you 10 to get legal and with the remaining 20 you can give the HBC tide EWO and buy another marker drone.

But Twin-Linked MP are less effective than dual MP even without markerlights.

Twin Linked MPs will net you 4.5 hits a turn, on average, compared to 6 hits from dual MPs. Then there's the fact that the dual MPs have a much higher damage potential. Add in markerlight support and it just becomes unfair to compare them since the twinlinked MPs at BS5 still get less hits than the dual MPs at BS 3.

As a compromise you could make one of the suits twinlinked and be at 1850. Minimal reduction in firepower and gets you under the points limit.

For friendlies with the group I think the 10 points won't matter. For something more serious I guess I can make one MP twin-linked.

Thanks for the feedback so far guys!

I have tried a slightly different approach and gone back to the regular Tau Empire codex.

This is what I have come up with:
Commander - 2x Marker Drones, 2x MP, DC, TL, Iridium Suit
Ethereal

Riptide - IA, PR, EWO
XV-8 x3 - 2x MP, 4x Marker Drones, TL

Fire Warriors x10 - Devilfish with DP, SMS
Fire Warriors x10 - Devilfish with DP, SMS

Pathfinders x6 - 'Ui
Pathfinders x6 - 'Ui
Xv-109 Y'vahra - Stimulant Injectors

Firebase Support Cadre:
Broadsides x3 - HRR, PR
Broadsides x3 - HYMP, SMS
Riptide - IA, PR, EWO

Comes to 1988 points all up. Not sure what I would do with the spare 12, but I am excited to try out the old Fish of Fury tactics!

You have some more flexibility and durability with the fish in this list. You still have your 2 big MC's and loads of broadsides to dish out the hurt. Keep the pathfinders in cover, they're you're squishiest unit by far, don't lose them early. They will boost your whole army's effectiveness by a ton. I think the ethereal would work better if your fire warriors were on foot, but he'll still be solid when they get out.

Good looking list.