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.

I see no reason why shield drones wouldn't be in the new Codex, especially since GW makes a model/conversion kit for them.

vicia wrote:
Might be nothing but has anyone else noticed a reference to the Orca Dropship in the White Dwarf Breacher rules. I thought they only had a reference to models they want to produce or are in production due to Chapterhouse.

They do produce it though, through Forge World.

Not anymore they don't.

vicia wrote:
Might be nothing but has anyone else noticed a reference to the Orca Dropship in the White Dwarf Breacher rules. I thought they only had a reference to models they want to produce or are in production due to Chapterhouse.

That is the internet's (more or less) educated guess on changes to GW policies regarding GW-publications in recent years, notably the purging of characters without a model.

But it's not like there is an official statement from GW or anything. The changes could be due to something completely different, non-Chapterhouse related that we simple aren't aware of.

 Sidstyler wrote:
Not anymore they don't.

So they don't. Has that been long?

So new Crisis suits, yay! Still seems like the same old Commander though..? Aside from some additional wierdly tacked on "spikey" spits, his head antenna are different though, but that looks like the exact same poses and armour as the failcast commander aside from the two tweaks. Do people really think it's a new commander model, as i'm doubtful?

@GenRifDrake; the whole model is cleaner than the old Finecast one, plus the old one was fixed in a "dynamic entry" pose onto some terrain.

The fact that this one isn't in the same pose tells you it's new; GW don't tend to use conversions in their official pictures these days.

Also handy that they upped the base size; my Enforcer ended up on a 60mm base as his particular cast was a bit *too* dynamic to stay upright! Plus it matched my FW XV-89.

 ImAGeek wrote:

 Sidstyler wrote:
Not anymore they don't.

So they don't. Has that been long?

I think they took the orca off sometime in the past few months, I'm not sure. It doesn't feel like it's been gone that long though.

It has been taken off the site quite some time ago now, more than a year.

From an IP point of view the Orca is probably OK; even though they don't currently produce a model they have in the past, so you couldn't directly copy it without infringing.

Of course, the Orca isn't exactly the most unique design; four vectored engines around a big troop compartment is pretty much standard drop ship design and is based on logical interpretation of physics.

 BrookM wrote:

 H.B.M.C. wrote:

Clunker wrote:
Guardian Drones - what, they're just weaker Shield Drones?

Have we seen anything to indicate that Shield Drones still exist in the new Codex?

Careful now, you're bound to end up as a source on BoLS or another click-bait site soon.

Be that as it may, I do have to ask why there's a "new" Shield Drone. Plus...

 Dr. Delorean wrote:
I see no reason why shield drones wouldn't be in the new Codex, especially since GW makes a model/conversion kit for them.

Do they make an all-plastic Shield Drone model?

I have a strange feeling that Shield Drones won't be part of the new Codex because they don't have a current plastic model and GW want to push the new type.

Pretty sure the Pathfinder kit can make shield drones.

Yeah just found the instructions and you can make a shield drone in the pathfinder kit.

You are correct. I did not know the Pathfinder kit could do any other types of Drones, but it has the parts for a Gun Drone and a Shield Drone on top of everything else.

What do you guys think is the best choice for a Stormsurge load out? One that would go solo.

For secondaries I'm thinking the TL Flamers or Airbursting. The TL Burst Cannons don't seem like they'd really do much.

Noctem wrote:
What do you guys think is the best choice for a Stormsurge load out? One that would go solo.

For secondaries I'm thinking the TL Flamers or Airbursting. The TL Burst Cannons don't seem like they'd really do much.

The Twin-linked Airbursting Fragmentation Projector is by far the best of the three. One (or two when firing twice) 18" S4 AP5 Ignores Cover Barrage shot that is Twin-Linked gives you a great weapon for cutting down light to medium infantry that basically requires no Markerlight tokens.

The primary weapon is a difficult one I feel. If Storm of Fire sticks around and affects the two main guns, I think the Pulse Driver Cannon will be better as you get 2 shots at 36" when firing it that way, whereas the Blastcannon has a really wonky interaction with that rule. Personally I like the Blastcannon as a lot of people won't expect you to move 12" and fire a 10" two-shot Destroyer AP1 gun (effective range of 22") at a big target while unloading all the smaller guns into other units, people are forgetting that it is still tough (especially with a Shield Generator) by nature of being an eight-wound Gargantuan Creature while beating down on most units in combat with Stomp. If you want to play in a static role the PDC seems like the better choice overall though I do still like the Blastcannon seeing as most strategies players will use to kill it involve units getting very close to it anyway.

Ah true. What does Barrage do again?

Wound allocation is done from the centre of the blast marker for Barrage weapons which allows you to "snipe" models out, while it also lets you optionally fire the weapon without requiring line of sight at the cost of not reducing the scatter using the models' Ballistic Skill value.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
You are correct. I did not know the Pathfinder kit could do any other types of Drones, but it has the parts for a Gun Drone and a Shield Drone on top of everything else.

Which is good, considering the Shield Drone upgrade kit has disappeared from UK GW and is sold out in US.

 ImAGeek wrote:

vicia wrote:
Might be nothing but has anyone else noticed a reference to the Orca Dropship in the White Dwarf Breacher rules. I thought they only had a reference to models they want to produce or are in production due to Chapterhouse.

They do produce it though, through Forge World.

Mantas have been referenced in Tau codex books from the very beginning even before the model existed. I don't think it means anything. The ongoing thought is that they don't make a codex rules entry for anything unless the model is ready right away.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

GenRifDrake wrote:
So new Crisis suits, yay! Still seems like the same old Commander though..? Aside from some additional wierdly tacked on "spikey" spits, his head antenna are different though, but that looks like the exact same poses and armour as the failcast commander aside from the two tweaks. Do people really think it's a new commander model, as i'm doubtful?

Take a look at the commander's chest, gorget, and engines (both the bottom exhaust and the top intakes). It's a new model.

 Jadenim wrote:
From an IP point of view the Orca is probably OK; even though they don't currently produce a model they have in the past, so you couldn't directly copy it without infringing.

Of course, the Orca isn't exactly the most unique design; four vectored engines around a big troop compartment is pretty much standard drop ship design and is based on logical interpretation of physics.

That, and the fact that the Orca is just mentioned in the turrets fluff piece. You dont actually need a physical Orca model to lay down the turret. The Orca has been mentioned in Tau fluff for a very long time, and never really needed a model for your 40K games. That Forgeworld even made a model and gave it rules was just a nice piece of modeling. But it impacted nothing in the game other than what the rules the model actually had.

Is the Enforcer suit just the same size of torso with longer limbs?

Wasnt the Orca one of those "neat models but it sucks" type of things?

It only has 2 guns, long barreled burst and a MP so it literally does nothing but transport. 400pts for an air transport that houses 57 models (super heavy so multiple units).
I remember i wanted one because i actually liked the model but the rules pushed me away from it big time.
Kinda like the Manta. Awesome model, feth those rules lol (which by the way for some reason got promoted on the front page of FW website)

It will move 57 infantry across a 10' table. If you have need of that capacity, it's fantastic.

 Medium of Death wrote:
Is the Enforcer suit just the same size of torso with longer limbs?

Probably not. If it is like the resin version, the limbs are MUCH longer (a welcomed change) but the torso is also bigger (the torso above the waist is about the size of the torso/waist/crotch of the old plastic model).



While the probably plastic enforcer might be different, the overall look and size make me think it's maintaining the same size thankfully.

Didn't see this mentioned but we have a name for the painting guide for Tau Empire.

‘Armies of Expansion: Tau Empire Painting Guide’.

The Ghostkeel painting guide has the following at the bottom:

This title is available in two editions, designed to provide the best reading experience on mobile phones and tablets. But you don’t have to choose – buying this painting guide will allow you to download both versions, so you’ll always be able to have the right edition on your device. Please note that the content in this painting guide is also available in ‘Armies of Expansion: Tau Empire Painting Guide’.

Stormsurge painting guide has the same.

 2001SpaceOdyssey wrote:

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
You are correct. I did not know the Pathfinder kit could do any other types of Drones, but it has the parts for a Gun Drone and a Shield Drone on top of everything else.

Which is good, considering the Shield Drone upgrade kit has disappeared from UK GW and is sold out in US.

It comes in the Broadside kit as well- bits to make 2 shield drones, missile drones, or gun drones.

Did this get posted here? Another blog linked a bunch of this stuff.. but their rep has been unreliable lately.

i just realized the Commander (im assuming thats what that bigger crisis suit is) on the far right of that image is HUGE.
That will make 0 sense if hes still T4 with a suit that massive.

 MLaw wrote:
Did this get posted here?

Yes. On pages 84 and 87

 ChiliPowderKeg wrote:

 MLaw wrote:
Did this get posted here?

Yes. On pages 84 and 87

D'oh, sorry, I went back a few pages and still managed to miss them. Apologies.