New Tau Release: Stormsurge, Ghostkeel, Coldstar, Breachers, Crisis, Tidewall!. Codex coming!

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**Vector Strike**

casvalremdeikun wrote:
Wow, that makes the "Waah! My codex isn't broken!" people look a little silly now. The frickin' Stormsurge is a monster! That Ghostkeel formation is crazy powerful.

I don't want a broken codex. I want a codex on par with SM. Not much to ask, is it?
Still waiting for changes in other units. D missiles and stealth formation apart, all others were expected

more info:

Yes there is, and looks powerful:

Hunter Contingent:

Consists of:
0-1 Command
1+ Basic
1-10 Auxiliaries

Command:
- 1 Commander or Shadowsun
- 0-1 Ethereal or Aun'va or Aun'shi
- 1-2 Crisis bodyguards

Basic (Hunder Cadre):
1 Commander
0-1 Fireblade
0-1 Crisis Bodyguards
3-6 Strike, Breacher or Kroot
1-3 Stealht, Ghostkeels, Riptides or Crisis.
1-3 Scouts, Piranhas, Vespid, Drones
1-3 Broadsides, Hammerhead, Stormsurge, Sniper

Rules for Hunter Cadre:
- Defensive fire at 12"
- Can run and the shoot. In this order.

Rules for Hunter Contigent:
- Reroll Warlord trait
- Units can combine their shooting attacks, and shoot as if they were a single unit. So they can get benefit from special rules and the same markerlight, for example. This is really, really powerful.

We're Warmachine now

Way more interesting than doubling markerlight rumour. Bravo, GW.

**Fishboy**

And now the Decurion style detachment:

Quote Originally Posted by Warhams-77 View Post

Awesome Probably quick to answer

- Is there a Decurion-style detachment in the book?
- How is the artwork in the fluff section, are there new pictures or do you feel it's all recycled?

Yes there is, and looks powerful:

Hunter Contingent:

Consists of:
0-1 Command
1+ Basic
1-10 Auxiliaries

Command:
- 1 Commander or Shadowsun
- 0-1 Ethereal or Aun'va or Aun'shi
- 1-2 Crisis bodyguards

Basic (Hunder Cadre):
1 Commander
0-1 Fireblade
0-1 Crisis Bodyguards
3-6 Strike, Breacher or Kroot
1-3 Stealht, Ghostkeels, Riptides or Crisis.
1-3 Scouts, Piranhas, Vespid, Drones
1-3 Broadsides, Hammerhead, Stormsurge, Sniper

Rules for Hunter Cadre:
- Defensive fire at 12"
- Can run and the shoot. In this order.

Rules for Hunter Contigent:
- Reroll Warlord trait
- Units can combine their shooting attacks, and shoot as if they were a single unit. So they can get benefit from special rules and the same markerlight, for example. This is really, really powerful.

**Hulksmash**

All I see is a huge F-you to deathstars. I think I'm in love if this is accurate

**Caederes**

That Decurion-equivalent is messed up....sharing Markerlight tokens? Sharing special rules (i.e. Ignores Cover/Tank Hunters/Monster Hunters/etc)? Wow. The Core formation is maybe one of the best for any codex we've seen so far, you can take all of the heavy firepower you need purely from the Core formation and the buffs - Run then Shoot/12" Supporting Fire - are significant too.

Even if most of the units don't change the formations/Decurion more than make this army hugely competitive now for sure!

And oh my god Tau now have an incredible answer to death-stars....wow. Reecius must be wetting his pants over this!

**Fishboy**

Looks like fireblades are still HQ so not a unit upgrade. Riptides are up to 3 in a unit like the hammerheads. Fire team rule is +1 BS if 3 man unit. Crisis Body Guard is Elite slot now.

Trying to keep up with Ichiban posts on Warseer.

**Caederes**

Other news, the "Fire Team" special rule is a +1 Ballistic Skill bonus for a unit that consists of three or more when shooting. Presumably this doesn't include Drones as otherwise a single Ghostkeel with its 2 Stealth Drones would always have this significant buff! Riptides also have this special rule and can be taken in squads of 1-3 just like Ghostkeels!

**Fishboy**

More updates:

Re: Tau in september

Quote Originally Posted by exsanguis View Post

Based Iuchiban never lets us down!

My questions:
1. Is iridium armour no longer a signature system?

2. Are weapons like the cyclic ion blaster and frag launcher thingy still experimental?

3. What does the formation of 2 Stormsurge/3 Ghostkeel provide?

4. Are Stealth Suits still Elites, or have they finally been moved to FA or even Troops?

5. Have Kroot changed at all?

Thanks!
1. It is. Signature systems are pretty much the same.

2.They are not. They can be purchased normally (like a Fusion Blaster for example)

3. If target is at 12" or less from the Ghostkeel, reroll to hit. It two units of the formation, shoot at the same target, target unit cannot run or move flat out next turn, and assault distance is halved (rounded down)

4. Elite

5. Not really.

From Ichiban on Warseer

Automatically Appended Next Post:
I wonder if that means the stealth formation (+1 BS to Ghostkeil) can get BS 5 with the Fire team rule too. That means hitting on two without the need for marker lights

**Backfire**

So, it appears that units which used to be useless, continue to be useless. Weak. This is turning out to be one of the lamest new Codex releases since, uh, previous Tau Codex release.

**casvalremdeikun**

Vector Strike wrote:
casvalremdeikun wrote:
Wow, that makes the "Waah! My codex isn't broken!" people look a little silly now. The frickin' Stormsurge is a monster! That Ghostkeel formation is crazy powerful.

I don't want a broken codex. I want a codex on par with SM. Not much to ask, is it?

Yeah, instead you have a codex that absolutely obliterates anything and everything that Space Marines can bring. It wrecks Eldar's day too.

**Vector Strike**

Backfire wrote:So, it appears that units which used to be useless, continue to be useless. Weak. This is turning out to be one of the lamest new Codex releases since, uh, previous Tau Codex release.

Could have been worse. My only disappointment is that they didn't change bad units and nerfed the ones who needed it.

casvalremdeikun wrote:
Vector Strike wrote:
casvalremdeikun wrote:
Wow, that makes the "Waah! My codex isn't broken!" people look a little silly now. The frickin' Stormsurge is a monster! That Ghostkeel formation is crazy powerful.

I don't want a broken codex. I want a codex on par with SM. Not much to ask, is it?

Yeah, instead you have a codex that absolutely obliterates anything and everything that Space Marines can bring. It wrecks Eldar's day too.

Because of formations. Vespid, Stealth Suits and Kroot still are bad choices in a CAD.

**Kanluwen**

And Railsides just got a huge buff if they have the "Fire Team" special rule.

**Caederes**

Backfire wrote:
So, it appears that units which used to be useless, continue to be useless. Weak. This is turning out to be one of the lamest new Codex releases since, uh, previous Tau Codex release.

Not true actually. Stealth Teams are crazy good in their formation with the Ghostkeel. Devilfishes have always been decent and will see play because of Breachers (the Run then Shoot thing is awesome for Breachers). Hammerheads still aren't as good as Skyrays but generally units in that bracket get big buffs to make them at least worthwhile now. The only real unknowns are Sniper Drones/Vespid/the fliers now which he hasn't mentioned.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Vector Strike wrote:
Backfire wrote:So, it appears that units which used to be useless, continue to be useless. Weak. This is turning out to be one of the lamest new Codex releases since, uh, previous Tau Codex release.

Could have been worse. My only disappointment is that they didn't change bad units and nerfed the ones who needed it.

casvalremdeikun wrote:
Vector Strike wrote:
casvalremdeikun wrote:
Wow, that makes the "Waah! My codex isn't broken!" people look a little silly now. The frickin' Stormsurge is a monster! That Ghostkeel formation is crazy powerful.

I don't want a broken codex. I want a codex on par with SM. Not much to ask, is it?

Yeah, instead you have a codex that absolutely obliterates anything and everything that Space Marines can bring. It wrecks Eldar's day too.

Because of formations. Vespid, Stealth Suits and Kroot still are bad choices in a CAD.

Honestly though, why would you ever take a CAD with Tau now? The buffs they get from the formations/Decurion are among the best I've seen for any army so far. Much like Necrons there's almost no reason to ever run non-Decurion/Hunter Contingent lists with this codex.

**AtoMaki**

Kanluwen wrote:
And Railsides just got a huge buff if they have the "Fire Team" special rule.

Don't be silly:

Iuchiban wrote:
Do every unit get the fire team rule?

No, only:

- Riptides
- Ghostkeels
- Hamerheads
- Skyrays

Railsides can't have nice things.

**casvalremdeikun**

Kanluwen wrote:
And Railsides just got a huge buff if they have the "Fire Team" special rule.

they don't. Riptides, Ghostkeel, Hammerheads, and Skyrays.

**nudibranch**

Gahhh, the Fire Team rules is so clearly designed to make you buy more Riptides/Ghostkeels etc...

**Kanluwen**

AtoMaki wrote:
Kanluwen wrote:
And Railsides just got a huge buff if they have the "Fire Team" special rule.

Don't be silly:

Iuchiban wrote:
Do every unit get the fire team rule?

No, only:

- Riptides
- Ghostkeels
- Hamerheads
- Skyrays

Railsides can't have nice things.

I'd disagree, that Hunter Contingent would get them some nice stuff...

Rules for Hunter Contigent:
- Reroll Warlord trait
- Units can combine their shooting attacks, and shoot as if they were a single unit. So they can get benefit from special rules and the same markerlight, for example. This is really, really powerful.

Who cares if they don't have Fire Teams natively--they can still get it!

Automatically Appended Next Post:

nudibranch wrote:
Gahhh, the Fire Team rules is so clearly designed to make you buy more Stormsurges/Riptides/Ghostkeels etc...

...and Hammerheads and Skyrays?

Stormsurges don't get the rule.

**Lithlandis Stormcrow**

agnosto wrote:
While I agree with you, this might be a case where they couldn't compete with recast prices and so it didn't pay to produce the kit anymore. It just goes to show you how high priced kits are when you can buy a recast barracuda for $60 and it was twice that (or more) from FW. Instead of looking at their pricing model, they just take their toys and go home.

(underline for emphasis)

I'm sorry but When can they compete with recast prices?

**Caederes**

It's a great rule to be fair. It makes Railgun Hammerheads much better, and while IA Riptides didn't need the buff the HBC certainly gets quite a bit out of it. As long as Riptides can take Target Locks the whole shtick of "competitive Tau features three Riptides" can stick around in that way with a free buff and some downsides (being one unit).

**Vector Strike**

Caederes wrote:
Backfire wrote:
So, it appears that units which used to be useless, continue to be useless. Weak. This is turning out to be one of the lamest new Codex releases since, uh, previous Tau Codex release.

Not true actually. Stealth Teams are crazy good in their formation with the Ghostkeel. Devilfishes have always been decent and will see play because of Breachers (the Run then Shoot thing is awesome for Breachers). Hammerheads still aren't as good as Skyrays but generally units in that bracket get big buffs to make them at least worthwhile now. The only real unknowns are Sniper Drones/Vespid/the fliers now which he hasn't mentioned.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Vector Strike wrote:
Backfire wrote:So, it appears that units which used to be useless, continue to be useless. Weak. This is turning out to be one of the lamest new Codex releases since, uh, previous Tau Codex release.

Could have been worse. My only disappointment is that they didn't change bad units and nerfed the ones who needed it.

casvalremdeikun wrote:
Vector Strike wrote:
casvalremdeikun wrote:
Wow, that makes the "Waah! My codex isn't broken!" people look a little silly now. The frickin' Stormsurge is a monster! That Ghostkeel formation is crazy powerful.

I don't want a broken codex. I want a codex on par with SM. Not much to ask, is it?

Yeah, instead you have a codex that absolutely obliterates anything and everything that Space Marines can bring. It wrecks Eldar's day too.

Because of formations. Vespid, Stealth Suits and Kroot still are bad choices in a CAD.

Honestly though, why would you ever take a CAD with Tau now? The buffs they get from the formations/Decurion are among the best I've seen for any army so far. Much like Necrons there's almost no reason to ever run non-Decurion/Hunter Contingent lists with this codex.

You are correct. Still, there are some out there who doesn't run/their club forbids it. Anyway, I'll need a CAD because I have lots of FW stuff.
The run and shoot is indeed good for Breachers, and turns our Crisis even more mobile (6" jump, run d6", assault move 2d6"). Almost a Jetbike

**Caederes**

Luchiban really needs to clarify how the whole "sharing special rules" thing works. Is it any special rule when making a shooting attack? Technically that would mean as soon as one unit with a twin-linked gun shoots all units shooting at that target would be twin-linked as well!!!! WUT!?

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Fair enough @Vector Strike, I won't lie about it; it does suck for list-building as it forces Tau players to take the Hunter Contingent when they might not want to. However, Tau are still pretty competitive without the Contingent and are IMO now top-tier with it. The Contingent buff immediately answers the problem of death-stars IMO, both the shared Markerlights and shared special rules. Also the Destroyer Missiles for the Stormsurges give Tau an affordable and now really reliable Imperial Knight/Super Heavy/Gargantuan Creature killer. A lot of units that needed buffs might stay in the gutter (exception being Stealth Suits via formation) but Tau are about to hit a new level of tournament play IMO.

**Dr. Delorean**

Quick, someone call Gamgee and tell him he's gonna be a happy man!

Seriously, that single change to the Stormsurge utterly 180s the ball game. 4 D shots is gonna ruin most SHs/GCs out there.

**Caederes**

Dr. Delorean wrote:
Quick, someone call Gamgee and tell him he's gonna be a happy man!

Seriously, that single change to the Stormsurge utterly 180s the ball game. 4 D shots is gonna ruin most SHs/GCs out there.

There's a guy (not Gamgee) on ATT that still thinks Stormsurges suck because "it is only four Destroyer shots", discarding the fact that with Markerlights those four Destroyer shots can be Ballistic Skill 5+ with Ignores Cover and can be split between four different targets in one phase. Combined with the Pulse Driver Cannon a Stormsurge will easily destroy an Imperial Knight by itself before it gets anywhere close to the Tau lines. Mind you, that same person said Stormsurges suck earlier (before the leak) because one Stormsurge can't take on 5 Imperial Knights (the person said "at best it will kill two Knights before they get close"). Like....how utterly inane and wrong can someone be

If a 360-400 point unit manages to take out 600-800+ points of stuff before it dies, how is that not good!?

**Vector Strike**

Caederes wrote:
Luchiban really needs to clarify how the whole "sharing special rules" thing works. Is it any special rule when making a shooting attack? Technically that would mean as soon as one unit with a twin-linked gun shoots all units shooting at that target would be twin-linked as well!!!! WUT!?

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Fair enough @Vector Strike, I won't lie about it; it does suck for list-building as it forces Tau players to take the Hunter Contingent when they might not want to. However, Tau are still pretty competitive without the Contingent and are IMO now top-tier with it. The Contingent buff immediately answers the problem of death-stars IMO, both the shared Markerlights and shared special rules. Also the Destroyer Missiles for the Stormsurges give Tau an affordable and now really reliable Imperial Knight/Super Heavy/Gargantuan Creature killer. A lot of units that needed buffs might stay in the gutter (exception being Stealth Suits via formation) but Tau are about to hit a new level of tournament play IMO.

I agree. Stormsurge value will skyrocket. I'm happy with the change to the Destroyer missiles.

Regarding the special rules: you're right. plain special rules sharing is... groudnbreaking. Saving up markerlights are already pretty good in my book.

**Dr. Delorean**

Caederes wrote:
Dr. Delorean wrote:
Quick, someone call Gamgee and tell him he's gonna be a happy man!

Seriously, that single change to the Stormsurge utterly 180s the ball game. 4 D shots is gonna ruin most SHs/GCs out there.

There's a guy (not Gamgee) on ATT that still thinks Stormsurges suck because "it is only four Destroyer shots", discarding the fact that with Markerlights those four Destroyer shots can be Ballistic Skill 5 with Ignores Cover. Combined with the Pulse Driver Cannon a Stormsurge will easily destroy an Imperial Knight by itself before it gets anywhere close to the Tau lines. Mind you, that same person said Stormsurges suck earlier (before the leak) because one Stormsurge can't take on 5 Imperial Knights (the person said "at best it will kill two Knights before they get close"). Like....how utterly inane and wrong can someone be If a 360-400 point unit manages to take out 600-800+ points of stuff before it dies, how is that not good!?

Yeah I saw that, the guy just cannot like the Stormsurge for some reason. Maybe a stormsurge fell off a gaming table and killed his cat? It's a big model.

**AtoMaki**

Dr. Delorean wrote:
Quick, someone call Gamgee and tell him he's gonna be a happy man!

Seriously, that single change to the Stormsurge utterly 180s the ball game. 4 D shots is gonna ruin most SHs/GCs out there.

I find it kinda' ironic that those four small missiles can do more than that one XBOXHUEG gun. Why can't I replace the big gun with moar Destroyer Missiles... I'am asking you!

**chalkobob**

If that rule sharing can be combo'd with a unit with a buffmander in it... my god, what have they done?

**Vector Strike**

Let's go with the formations:

Hunter Cadre (see previous posts)

Retallion Cadre
- 1 Commander
- 3 units of Crisis
- 1 Broadside unit
- 1 Riptide unit
Rules: Relentless
+1 BS when Deep striking
May choose to enter from reserves in turn 2 via Deep Strike. This includes Broadsides.

Heavy Retribution Cradre (see previous posts)

Infiltration Cadre
- 3 Pathfinder units
- 2 Stealth battlesuit units
- 1 Piranha unit
Rules: If one unit of the formation is destroyed, rest of the formation enters from reserve next turn automatically.
If an enemy unit gets hit by 3 or more markerights from this formation, you get a free Seeker missile hit to this unit.

Optimised Stealth Cadre (See previous posts).

Firebase Support cadre
- 2 units of battlesuits
- 1 unit Riptides
Note that they do not have to be max size like before
Rules: They formation can combine their shooting attacks and shoot as a single unit. When doing so, they get Tank and monster hunter SR.

Armored Interdiction Cadre
- 3 Units of Hammerheads
- 1 Unit of Sky Rays
Rules: Choose a point in the battlefield. When shooting to a unit at 6" or less from this point, reroll to hit.

Air Support cadre:
- 1 Sun Shark Bomber
- 1 Razorshark Strike Fighter
Rules: Ignore shaken and stunned with 2+.
Beginning of the turn, roll a D6 for each lost hull point. If you roll a 6, recover 1 HP.

Allied Advanced Cadre
- 4 units of Kroot
- 2 units of Vespids
Rules: Vespids get Infiltration and Stealth (Forests)
Kroot at 12" from Vespid units, get Obscured (Forests) instead of Stealth (Forests), and get +1 BS
They all get supporting fire with other units of the formation.

**Kanluwen**

Caederes wrote:
Dr. Delorean wrote:
Quick, someone call Gamgee and tell him he's gonna be a happy man!

Seriously, that single change to the Stormsurge utterly 180s the ball game. 4 D shots is gonna ruin most SHs/GCs out there.

There's a guy (not Gamgee) on ATT that still thinks Stormsurges suck because "it is only four Destroyer shots", discarding the fact that with Markerlights those four Destroyer shots can be Ballistic Skill 5+ with Ignores Cover and can be split between four different targets in one phase. Combined with the Pulse Driver Cannon a Stormsurge will easily destroy an Imperial Knight by itself before it gets anywhere close to the Tau lines. Mind you, that same person said Stormsurges suck earlier (before the leak) because one Stormsurge can't take on 5 Imperial Knights (the person said "at best it will kill two Knights before they get close"). Like....how utterly inane and wrong can someone be If a 360-400 point unit manages to take out 600-800+ points of stuff before it dies, how is that not good!?

I'm not gonna lie, but that?

That Stormsurge+Ghostkeel formation, with Markerlight support, is going to be absurd...especially if the Hunter Contingent Detachment rule allows for Fire Team rule to be shared out and you can throw an additional Stormsurge in.

All in all, I'm impressed by this. They changed very little but man is it significant change.

**Caederes**

If the special rules sharing is unlimited it actually makes Tau utterly game-breaking. Remembering that the fething Core formation can take Broadsides, you can get your HYMP Broadsides to shoot at an Invisible death-star unit. This gives everyone shooting at the death-star Twin-Linked. Then, you shoot all your twin-linked Markerlights at said death-star. Depending on how many you have you should easily get like four-five tokens. Now, you are up to Ballistic Skill 4 w/ Twin-Linked plus Ignores Cover, and now you get a weapon with Shred (if there is one in the Tau codex, if there isn't then I apologize) to shoot at said unit. Whatever the unit is it is DEAD regardless of what it is, even 2++/re-rollable death-stars are going to feel the heat.

**hokieseas**

Vector Strike wrote:

Regarding the special rules: you're right. plain special rules sharing is... groudnbreaking. Saving up markerlights are already pretty good in my book.

That would make lots of sense if it was like the opposite of supporting fire, units within X" of each other can share rules and combine fire or something. Just flat out ruling across the formation, woah.