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.

So I'm starting a Tau army and I know the codex is close but if I were to buy a few things to curb my Itch what would you recommend buying that is a unit that shouldn't change too much or become obsolete?

ballzonya wrote:
So I'm starting a Tau army and I know the codex is close but if I were to buy a few things to curb my Itch what would you recommend buying that is a unit that shouldn't change too much or become obsolete?

Fire Warriors. I can't see them changing much/at all, and they're rock solid as either Strike Teams or Breacher Teams. Drones might go up a point or two, as they're really good right now. You'll need a Commander or two regardless, even if they get a nerf/point increase.

All of this makes Start Collecting a decent choice. Nobody really objects to Crisis Suits as Commanders.

Everything else? Wait for the Codex and get painting Fire Warriors.

Thanks! So fire warriors how do you run them usually? Stroke teams but what guns carbine or rifle? I want to do a pure shooty so breacher team might not work

I prefer Strike Teams with Pulse Rifles. Pulse Carbines are pretty situational, I think most times I'd use them, a Breacher Team would be a better choice. Most folks put Breachers in a Devilfish, which starts to get expensive. I'm on the fence about the defense turret, as Tau in this edition get to move around without reducing their fire (as long as they don't run), and the turret nails them in place. Good if you can park them on an objective in Turn 1, otherwise likely to be wasted, YMMV.

Rifles are better. Carbines are only better in a very small 3" range pocket that hardly comes up or if your advancing them.


Fire warriors are great atm. Just make sure to use character synergy with them. Fireblade and Ethereals buff them up to strong levels and some kroot to screen them.


Your also never gonna go wrong with commanders. A good startup army is the following:


Battallion:

Ethereal
Fireblade

3x Fire warriors x9 + Shasui
2x Kroot Carnivor x10

Supreme Command:

3x Commander/w Shield Drones and Fusion Blasters



Not sure of the exact points on it, but its a very good starter force for any Tau list and probably will just get better when their codex comes out.

Note it's super easy to make a Fireblade out of a Fire Warrior. I did these with the old FW sprues, but the new ones work just fine.



Just take a Pulse Carbine, chop off the bottom square part and put it on top of the Pulse Rifle as a Markerlight. Or use a legit markerlight bit. Give him a Bonding Knife and some bling of choice (I chose handheld scanners) and give him a fancier paint job than regular Fire Warriors and a 32mm base. Not as fancy as the blister model Fireblade, but way, way cheaper!

I’ve just bought myself a rapid insertion cadre box. It’s kind of a gamble to be honest, so I’m hoping that I get enough value out of the contents of the box when the codex drops.

Please, let dark reapers be nerfed, or all these stealths and this ghostkeel are toast! (And so’s everything else...)

The ghostkeel built with all fusion gun options is actually pretty good currently. Will melt any tank/monster (s)he looks at, and Stealthsuits are pretty sweet too with either option. If you take burst Cannons though, give them the advanced targeting too for that sweet -1AP. Sit them on a middle objective and they're solid

 Tiberius501 wrote:
The ghostkeel built with all fusion gun options is actually pretty good currently. Will melt any tank/monster (s)he looks at, and Stealthsuits are pretty sweet too with either option. If you take burst Cannons though, give them the advanced targeting too for that sweet -1AP. Sit them on a middle objective and they're solid

+1 on this! In my 1000 point army, I run two full squads of Stealth Suits and a Ghost Keel and they are scary. I once had my Stealth Suit squad survive a charge by a full mob of Ork Boyz, fly away, then shred them to bits with my Burst Cannons with -1 AP.

The only thing to keep in mind is that despite Tau being a shooting army, their BS is decidedly average. You'll either want to load up on Markerlights (Pathfinders), or use Commanders to make sure you deliver the hurt to where it needs to be. Nothing more embarrassing than having your Ghostkeel sneak up a flank, only to roll 3's to hit a Predator at point blank range (based on a true story).