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So, my first game when I get an army done and painted will be an 850(ish) point game against one of my friends, a BA player. The man adores Death Company and Dreds, so I need tactics to beat them, and just so many goddamn players in my FLGS play Eldar and SM, so I need tips against generic SM and Eldar too please (especially those massive avatar thingies; I don't know the name of them. The ones that are like the size of somebodies head.)

FSE drone network and an EWO stormsurge with the other 300 points to taste. (But only if your friendship is an enduring one.)

For 850 points, that's almost half of my army taken up by the stormsurge. Oh, and the fact that the stormsurge is a dick-slappingly expensive model to buy.
Also, FSE?

Do really need tactics to beat Blood Angels? Almost anything from the Tau or Farsight Enclaves book is going to make his army cry. Especially the expensive Death Company.

Listbuilding against Blood Angels is a bit of a ****move to be honest. As you seem to know quite well what he plays. And it's a powerfull codex vs... well... we all know how Blood Angels usually fare.

IWannaBeTauToo wrote:
For 850 points, that's almost half of my army taken up by the stormsurge. Oh, and the fact that the stormsurge is a dick-slappingly expensive model to buy.
Also, FSE?

If you don't purchase a supremacy suit, you are likely to purchase at least one eventually. Also, FSE= FarSight Enclave. The drone network is only found there, or well, mont'ka

Where's Martel when needed so much.

Have you gotten Shadowsun? While her price may be a little steep, you could consider it a shield generator for each model in her attached squad. The 3d6 thrust move isn't inconsiderable either.

 carldooley wrote:
Have you gotten Shadowsun? While her price may be a little steep, you could consider it a shield generator for each model in her attached squad. The 3d6 thrust move isn't inconsiderable either.

Since I'm building a new army, I have nothing. So no, I don't have Shadowsun.

Tau hard counter BA. You should be fine.


For a limited model set, plasma suits/fire warriors/markerlights will get the job done.

koooaei wrote:Where's Martel when needed so much.

Martel732 wrote:Tau hard counter BA. You should be fine.


For a limited model set, plasma suits/fire warriors/markerlights will get the job done.

There he is

Gotta agree with Martel. Asking how to beat BAs with Tau is like asking how Eldar can beat Dark Eldar. The answer is always: open your codex, field almost any combo of units, table opponent by turn 3.

Tau have some of the best units to counter Marines (of any flavor) and have some very decent anti-Eldar stuff. Riptides with Ion, EWO and probably Stims are always a good choice here. The large blast just erases Marine units and Jetbikes. Death Co will not get their FNP against its str8.
If you are going for the cheesiest 850 list you can bring, take a Riptide wing with 4 Riptides like this:
1 Riptide w/ EWO, Ion & Stims
1 Riptide w/ EWO, Ion & Stims
2 Riptides w/ Burstcannons, 1 with target Lock, the other Stims (placed up front to tank wounds)
- that's exactly 850 and you could easily drop the Stims on the unit of 2 and give other upgrade, like the BS2 overwatch, Skyfire, whatever.

As for dealing with WraithKnights (the big things "the size of somebodies head"). Nothing kills them faster than D. Like from a Storm Surge for example.

-

For the 2nd portion of your meta, the eldar running avatar of khaine, his high toughness and immunity to melta is pretty annoying. In that case the stormsurge with d (presuming sufficient markerlights) is a quick... though unfriendly answer. The avatar is an imposing enemy, but generally regarded as the bad unit of the eldar codex (shows the codex imbalance there). But S6 t6 3+/5++, your firewarriors are wounding on 5's. Riptide with heavy burst cannon is similar points, is s6ap4 heavy 8 (possibly 12 with rending, but gets hot), and is generally regarded as the less cheesy build of it, while still being effective versus SM.
SMS while not ignoring armor, is great at hitting jetbikes.

Versus SM, tau shouldn't have a problem at that points level, as SM variants don't get their free stuff/most powerful ob sec formations. tau do hard-counter elite-centric armies (not FOC slot, but small numbers of powerful units).


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That said, if you are ok losing a few games, but want to use units you will never get a chance to at 1500 points and above, the pathfinders with special weapons like rail rifle are remarkably effective, and fragile. They won't live, but its fun to have rapid fire s6ap1 shots.
Can bring Darkstrider for 100 points for other special rules fun such as target unit -1t to shooting, and fire overwatch then retreat d3" afterwards before the charging unit rolls for distance. T3 5+ 3W he's basically a waste of points, but if you can use him, its great fun.
Some counts-as sniper drones, for heavy support, 48" rapid fire sniper at bs5, worth playing a few times, but to easily destroyed at higher point games

 Galef wrote:
Gotta agree with Martel. Asking how to beat BAs with Tau is like asking how Eldar can beat Dark Eldar. The answer is always: open your codex, field almost any combo of units, table opponent by turn 3.

Tau have some of the best units to counter Marines (of any flavor) and have some very decent anti-Eldar stuff. Riptides with Ion, EWO and probably Stims are always a good choice here. The large blast just erases Marine units and Jetbikes. Death Co will not get their FNP against its str8.
If you are going for the cheesiest 850 list you can bring, take a Riptide wing with 4 Riptides like this:
1 Riptide w/ EWO, Ion & Stims
1 Riptide w/ EWO, Ion & Stims
2 Riptides w/ Burstcannons, 1 with target Lock, the other Stims (placed up front to tank wounds)
- that's exactly 850 and you could easily drop the Stims on the unit of 2 and give other upgrade, like the BS2 overwatch, Skyfire, whatever.

As for dealing with WraithKnights (the big things "the size of somebodies head"). Nothing kills them faster than D. Like from a Storm Surge for example.

-

That's some pretty major right there, and I think my wallet just cried as well.

Marines ask for AP3-. You get those from Hammerheads, Barracudas (cheaper one), Crisis, Riptides, Y'vahras and Stormsurges. AP3 Blast is king here. EWO to deal with pesky deep strikers (marines love that, and many arrive at turn 1. I've heard of specialized group s that can charge at turn 1!)

Eldar likes speed and cover. Prioritize targets even more (dark reapers, warp spiders, jetbikes) and watch out for banshees, as they don't allow overwatch anymore. They like some deep striking as well, but here S7 spam is more than enough.

In both cases, markerlights are your friends

I've been thinking about markerlights. Would a pathfinder group and some marker drones be enough "firepower?" The drones can move and shoot them accuratlely, and I can always just stick the pathfinders in a building for the cover bonus and stay there.

IWannaBeTauToo wrote:
I've been thinking about markerlights. Would a pathfinder group and some marker drones be enough "firepower?" The drones can move and shoot them accuratlely, and I can always just stick the pathfinders in a building for the cover bonus and stay there.

I have a personal rule of spending around 15-20% of my points into markerlight units. In a 1850p list, I use 3 tetras (Imperial Armour 3, a Forge World book) and a minimum Drone-Net VX1-0 (Mont'ka and Farsight Enclaves books). It's more than enough to help eliminate 2-3 key atargets per turn (and attarct enemy firepower - better your marker units than the real ass-kicking ones!)

 Vector Strike wrote:

IWannaBeTauToo wrote:
I've been thinking about markerlights. Would a pathfinder group and some marker drones be enough "firepower?" The drones can move and shoot them accuratlely, and I can always just stick the pathfinders in a building for the cover bonus and stay there.

I have a personal rule of spending around 15-20% of my points into markerlight units. In a 1850p list, I use 3 tetras (Imperial Armour 3, a Forge World book) and a minimum Drone-Net VX1-0 (Mont'ka and Farsight Enclaves books). It's more than enough to help eliminate 2-3 key atargets per turn (and attarct enemy firepower - better your marker units than the real ass-kicking ones!)

Personally, I rather prefer to use a Mark'o Commander (2 weapons to choice, Target Lock & Drone Controller + 2 Marker Drones) in a Crisis star outfitted the same way. My thinking on your suggested load is that unless you use a drone net, your drone squadrons are using the BS of orks, which really only works with ROF (which marker drones notably lack). A drone network on the other hand will buff the BS of every drone in your army if you take one.
My way of doing things has two benefits for you. 1. It is cheaper: No need to purchase FW models or books. 2. It can be used with a CAD, in case your group frowns on formations or unbound.

Frankly doubling the Mark'o and the crisis star isn't a bad plan to shoot for. 2 HQs, 2troops, 2 deletion platforms (whether Riptides, Broadsides, Stormsurges, ion- or trailhead, or what have you), with FAs, Troops (probably best suicide melts monats) or heavies (Skyrays are my preference) to taste. If you ultimately choose this option though, remember to make one of the months a shas'vre so that it can be your warlord - you don't want your opponents to have too many reasons to shoot your stars.

IWannaBeTauToo wrote:
So, my first game when I get an army done and painted will be an 850(ish) point game against one of my friends, a BA player. The man adores Death Company and Dreds, so I need tactics to beat them, and just so many goddamn players in my FLGS play Eldar and SM, so I need tips against generic SM and Eldar too please (especially those massive avatar thingies; I don't know the name of them. The ones that are like the size of somebodies head.)

Hello and welcome to the greater good! Are you referring to wraithknights? The extremely massive lords of war (not the smaller wraithlord or avatar)? The best way to deal with wraithknights is to politely ask your opponent not to play it in <1000 point games while you learn how to play. The best way to actually deal in our codex with it is a stormsurge.

IWannaBeTauToo wrote:

 carldooley wrote:
Have you gotten Shadowsun? While her price may be a little steep, you could consider it a shield generator for each model in her attached squad. The 3d6 thrust move isn't inconsiderable either.

Since I'm building a new army, I have nothing. So no, I don't have Shadowsun.

You have literally zero models. I would highly recommend a start collecting box. It'll give you a barebones force and then you can expand your models from there. I would recommend against ever buying models with the intent of utterly crushing your opponent (stormsurge/multiple riptide suggestions are bad suggestions unless your opponents bring armies with this intent also). Most of the units in the tau codex are at least fine (except for Aun'do he's one of the worst models in any codex). By this I mean, in non-hyper competitive setting they'll won't immediately make you regret buying them.

So buy the models that you think look cool and have cool rules. You'll be much happier building, painting and fielding them. As far as unit recommendations, my favorite models are stealth suits but they're a tad bit unpowered. I still run them and love them to death though. Crisis suits are always useful. A bit of a glass cannon unit, but extremely flexible and very killy (make sure to magnetize their weapons though!!!!). Riptides are easily the best unit in our codex. I'd recommend not running one until you've got at least 1000 other points of models. Playing with multiple riptides will lose you friends quickly.


Ethereals and crisis commanders are both great hq choices. Ethereal is great with a lot of firewarriors while the commander is better with crisis suits. Strike teams are solid troops choices. I think pulse rifles are the best but some like running breachers in a devilfish. Broadsides are exceptionally strong while outfitted with high yield missile pods. Unfortunately they're basically immobile. I don't run them much because I much prefer mobility over a gun line. They shoot things really dead.

Hammerheads are so-so. The Ion Cannon kills marines really well. The rail gun isn't worth using without longstrike. Personally I prefer using the skyray turret. It always does work for me. Vehicles are just kind of weak overal right now. So they'll do ok but not stellar for you. Ghostkeels are strong but not oppressive. Pathfinders are the cheapest markerlight source but they die to a stiff breeze. I usually run a squad, and if they have one round of shooting I consider it worth.


The best list possible in the tau codex is a stormsurge, drone net, and a riptide wing. Then throw in a Y'vahra, more riptides or another stormsurge to fill out the points. I advise against this outside of tournaments.