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Hi after my previous Post and thanks to all your comments i realized I want my first Army to be Tau (and my second most likly Grey Knights =P^^)

I got 2 Lists wich i like becouse they Combine loooooots of big Mechas and would like to have your opinion on both of my lists. Since im just starting out i dont know what the Meta is around me (only found out that most Games allow only 1 Model in the Lord of War slot) and wanted to build something that can stand something of everything and lets me enjoy fun Games with lots of Ranged DakkaDakka but also maybe win Games after some Practice. And since im not too fond of Crisis Suits (yet, maybe in the future who knows) i keep them to a minimum (of one in my first list)

My first list would be a Hunter Contingent:







And my Second List is a CAD for the option to go with a Stormsurge



These are the two lists i came up with after doing some Research =) I did a Poll in my last Thread and it went realy well so i did one in this too. Again Thanks for all your comments and votings in my last Thread and i hope there is some nice discussion in this Thread aswell =)

I hope my formating is not too hard on the eye

I play basically the first list but with enough markerlight support. It's brutal against a lot of things, is fun to play, and feels tactically rewarding. That being said, two stealth teams seems like too much of a tax to the list, and might be better served with a drone net, they function similarly giving ignore cover and extra BS if you think about it. But you are using those 200 points to allow whatever you need to have that boon, not just one suit. And if you magnetized, I'd really recommend one or two ion accelorators, they are probably our best gun overall in terms of effectiveness vs a variety of targets, and let you spend Nova reactor uses on the 3++ instead of always buffing the weapon.

But if you use the first one without the Optimised Stealth Cadre what is your Auxillery for the Hunter Contingent Detachment? Then you only have a Hunter Cadre and two Formations wich would be 3 Formations and a Formation Derachment

Thanks for the tip with the Ion Accelerators


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I got a Question abot the ruling in the second list. The Counterfire Defense System only affects the Model Equipped with it, while the Vectored Retro Thrusters affect the whole Unit. Is that right?

And would it be better to use the Thrusters or Equip 1-2 Riptides with an Ion Accelerator?

Drone Net (drone Net vx1-0 is a Dawn Blade choice, different formations) is a support choice for the Hunter Contigent.

If you really want to make your fellow players not want to play the list, replace the EWO on the KV128 with Stim injector. That brings your list up to the typical 1250 point level and gives you a 3+,4++,5+++ saves on a GMC.

Of course if just want big suits, you could drop the CAD and OSC and bring a loaded Heavy Retribution cadre. That would give you 2 GMC and 4MC at 1250. Alot of folks would just leave the table at that point. You dont see it much but the HRC is probably scariest formation in the codex.




Automatically Appended Next Post:

Luzifiel wrote:


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I got a Question abot the ruling in the second list. The Counterfire Defense System only affects the Model Equipped with it, while the Vectored Retro Thrusters affect the whole Unit. Is that right?

And would it be better to use the Thrusters or Equip 1-2 Riptides with an Ion Accelerator?

Correct on the CDS, not quite correct on the VRT. The VRT has 2 rules Fleet and Hit-and-Run. Fleet only effects the model and only works if all models in the unit are Fleet. Hit-and-Run transfers from the model to other members of the same unit.

Aas to the VRT vs the IA, that depends on how aggressive you play the stealth suits. I tend to run agressive stealth teams with CDS burst cannons, and VRT,target lock,markerlight, fusion blaster.

Hunter Contingent looks good ..that being said it may have issues with flyer heavy lists..Drop pod lists will find themselves in the hurt locker..

barnowl wrote:
Drone Net (drone Net vx1-0 is a Dawn Blade choice, different formations) is a support choice for the Hunter Contigent.

If you really want to make your fellow players not want to play the list, replace the EWO on the KV128 with Stim injector. That brings your list up to the typical 1250 point level and gives you a 3+,4++,5+++ saves on a GMC.

Of course if just want big suits, you could drop the CAD and OSC and bring a loaded Heavy Retribution cadre. That would give you 2 GMC and 4MC at 1250. Alot of folks would just leave the table at that point. You dont see it much but the HRC is probably scariest formation in the codex.


Aas to the VRT vs the IA, that depends on how aggressive you play the stealth suits. I tend to run agressive stealth teams with CDS burst cannons, and VRT,target lock,markerlight, fusion blaster.

Yeah would love to play the Heavy Retribution Cadre but in most games the Lord of War or GMC is restricted to 1 so no Heavy Ret Cadre =(

Sry i meant the Ion Accelerator or Heavy Burst Cannon on the Riptides. Since someone mentioned that they would be better. In most lists i see the Weapons being used in Default setting with the Heavy Burst Cannon

Cant find stim injector on stormsurges btw

Luzifiel wrote:

barnowl wrote:
Drone Net (drone Net vx1-0 is a Dawn Blade choice, different formations) is a support choice for the Hunter Contigent.

If you really want to make your fellow players not want to play the list, replace the EWO on the KV128 with Stim injector. That brings your list up to the typical 1250 point level and gives you a 3+,4++,5+++ saves on a GMC.

Of course if just want big suits, you could drop the CAD and OSC and bring a loaded Heavy Retribution cadre. That would give you 2 GMC and 4MC at 1250. Alot of folks would just leave the table at that point. You dont see it much but the HRC is probably scariest formation in the codex.


Aas to the VRT vs the IA, that depends on how aggressive you play the stealth suits. I tend to run agressive stealth teams with CDS burst cannons, and VRT,target lock,markerlight, fusion blaster.

Yeah would love to play the Heavy Retribution Cadre but in most games the Lord of War or GMC is restricted to 1 so no Heavy Ret Cadre =(

Sry i meant the Ion Accelerator or Heavy Burst Cannon on the Riptides. Since someone mentioned that they would be better. In most lists i see the Weapons being used in Default setting with the Heavy Burst Cannon

Cant find stim injector on stormsurges btw

Ah, you have local game store/tourney has restrictions on Superheavy. Guess no one can play IK lists then? Normal rules there is no restriction on the LOW/Superheavy/GMC other than formation/detachment limits.

Oh yeah, my bad, I forgot about footnote 2 restictions.

No Heavy Retribution Cadre and IK List seem to be a worldwide NoNo XD

Luzifiel wrote:
No Heavy Retribution Cadre and IK List seem to be a worldwide NoNo XD

I wish IK was a world wide no-no, I hate facing Ik armys. My bugs got no real codex answer for them.

Thing to note before you go off buying 3 riptides; you may not get as many games as you would normally because a lot of people (many here on dakka) flat out refuse to play tide spam because it's a very strong choice, even if you're bringing them even for their cool factor. The burst cannon is the weaker option, so perhaps people won't be getting their panties in a knot like the Ion version. I know you said you don't like crisis', but they are a solid choice because they offer quite a bit of fire power and mobility to your list. Perhaps drop some stealth suits?

 #1ShieldBrother3++ wrote:
Thing to note before you go off buying 3 riptides; you may not get as many games as you would normally because a lot of people (many here on dakka) flat out refuse to play tide spam because it's a very strong choice, even if you're bringing them even for their cool factor. The burst cannon is the weaker option, so perhaps people won't be getting their panties in a knot like the Ion version. I know you said you don't like crisis', but they are a solid choice because they offer quite a bit of fire power and mobility to your list. Perhaps drop some stealth suits?

There is nothing freindly about either list. Triptide + stormsurge+ OSC Ghostkeel is not making friends and allies anywhere, the mind behind these list is all for the win preferably by tabling. If the OP wants just fun games, check out the meta and see if people are competitive players or not. If they are not you will need to tone the list way back.

So competitivly it would be an ok list but for friendly matches i would need to substitute the Riptide Wing?

Luzifiel wrote:
So competitivly it would be an ok list but for friendly matches i would need to substitute the Riptide Wing?

Probably. Though honestly you have enough hammer in that list, that you just about have to rework from the ground up for friendly.

Thought about a fluff list (a friend of mine said that the best way to tone a list down is to make it fluffy XD) where Nocta Sept Tau Infiltrate and got Support in Reserves if something happens.Would this List be more "friendly" =) Sad thing is all big Mechas are realy strong so i cant use them for friendlys it seems =(

Unfortunately the Hammerhead and DF don't by default have deepstrike anymore (was a skimmer rule way back).

Taking this latest Hunter Cadre and an OSC would probably be a reasonable, but still strong list. Only one MC and with a stealth suit tax.

So the Flufflist i posted last would not be that good to Play?

and what do you mean with stealth suit tax? maximising the stealthsuits?

Stealth suits are generally considered a tax unit because they aren't points effecient. Toughness 3 really hurts them. They are only good to take in an optimized stealth cadre, and even then you usually minimize stealth suits and max ghostkeels.

Riptide wing is not that overpowered. Tau lists rarely make the top 8 at gt's, only one list in the last year that I can remember. That list also did not use the riptide formation as it don't exist at the time, just old farsight enclaves rules and good general ship with a dash of good dice rolls.

So people refusing to play the list is pretty extreme. It's a strong formation sure and it always depends on your meta but for my gaming group I don't feel bad in the slightest fielding two stormsuges in a CAD and my riptide wing( I always go all HBC, better against good players who don't bunch up, more versitile to take on vehicles with rending and more shots for flyers in a pinch). Taking the CAD also allows me to bring the new tau fortifications which is nice. Tournaments and really experienced players though don't allow for the fortifications to move terrain so until that issue is figured out their usefulness is limited, but they are still a cheeky way to watch grav gunners kill themselves.

The ITC ruling on hunter cadre special rules(coordinated firepower) made it not attractive for me since having to take more troops tax and other taxes hurts too much. Better to not spend he points and retain objective secured, even if your troops are slow as balls. But I hope this will be reversed one day and we'll see tau have a moment in the sun. Might not be enough to get them to the top, eldar windriders are still the best troops, warp spiders nerf might help, wraithknights are still beast and they still have the best access to D shooting.

If I want to run fluff lists I do so with my version of a mobile strike cadre, throwing in some kroot, stealth suits, sniper drones, a squad of breachers in d fish. Basically units I like the models and fluff for, I don't expect to win those games and if I run those lists it's against someone who has agreed to bring something likewise non terrifying. Hell I might break out vespids, cadre fire blades, or darkstrider just for kicks.