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This is the most recent build of my first T'au army. The goal is to function as a mobile gunline with battlesuit support. I will be facing off mostly with other new players in my gaming group, a Deathguard, a Primaris Ultramarine, A Necron and an Ork. Any C&C would be appreciated.

T'au Sept

HQ: Coldstar commander: 3x FB, SG 161pts
HQ: Coldstar Commander: HOBC, BC, MP 150pts
HQ: Cadre Fireblade: Markerlight, Puretide engram neurochip 42pts
HQ: Cadre Fireblade: Markerlight, Warlord, Through unity, Devestation 42pts HQ: Ethereal: Honour blade 45pts
Troops: Strike team 5x Fire Warrior, 1 markerlight 38pts
Troops: Strike team 5x Fire Warrior, 1 markerlight 38pts
Troops: Strike team 5x Fire Warrior, 1 markerlight 38pts
Troops: Strike team 5x Fire Warrior, 1 markerlight 38pts
Troops: Strike team 5x Fire Warrior, 1 markerlight 38pts
Troops: Strike team 5x Fire Warrior, 1 markerlight 38pts
Elites: Riptide: IA, 2x SMS, TL, 2 mv84 360pts
Elites: Riptide: IA, 2x SMS, TL, 292pts
Fast Attack: Tactical Drones: 4 Marker drones 40pts
Fast Attack: Tactical Drones: 4 Shield drones 40pts
Fast attack: Pathfinder team: 2 Markerlights, 3 ion rifles 52pts
Fast attack: Pathfinder team: 2 Markerlights, 3 ion rifles 52pts
Heavy Support: 3x Broadside: 6xHYMP, 6x SMS, 3x ATS, 3x Seeker 511pts

97PL, 1994pts. 2 Battalion, 1 Outrider. 14cp(I think?)

You can also add another weapon or system on Commander number 2. You might as well add a Drone controller so he can at least give +1 to hit for your marker light drones however I would sub out the ML drones for just more shield drones, your broadsides are going to need it and without them you still have 12 ML shots. Just make sure you do them in the order of:

Cadre Fireblade #1 > Cadre Fireblade #2 on a secondary target if your splitting your ML > then resolve each of your squads starting with the ML first so the rest of your squad gains it's benefit.

I don't see how you get a mobile gunline with 3 broadsides and Ion pathfinders tho.

 exploited751 wrote:
You can also add another weapon or system on Commander number 2. You might as well add a Drone controller so he can at least give +1 to hit for your marker light drones however I would sub out the ML drones for just more shield drones, your broadsides are going to need it and without them you still have 12 ML shots. Just make sure you do them in the order of:

Cadre Fireblade #1 > Cadre Fireblade #2 on a secondary target if your splitting your ML > then resolve each of your squads starting with the ML first so the rest of your squad gains it's benefit.

Apologies, that was a typo. There are 2xBC on the second commander at that point total. Would you recommend dropping one BC for drone controller?

I like the idea of more shield drones though.

Sadly my mobile gunline does seem to have gotten itself more into the mode of strike team gunline with leaping commander support and heavy artillery fire. I am still undecided about the second riptide. I almost want to dump it for another commander and more troops.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Ok so... Round 2. Lost a riptide, added a crisis commander, added troops and drones. More CP with the third brigade. This looks like an actual army of miniatures (so much painting), but no vehicular support so lots of hoofing it across the field.


++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (T'au Empire) [16 PL, 317pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

T'au Empire Sept Choice: T'au Sept

+ HQ +

Cadre Fireblade [2 PL, 42pts]: Markerlight, Puretide engram neurochip

Commander in XV86 Coldstar Battlesuit [8 PL, 161pts]: 3x Fusion blaster, Shield generator

+ Troops +

Strike Team [2 PL, 38pts]
. Fire Warrior Shas'ui: Markerlight, Pulse rifle
. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle

Strike Team [2 PL, 38pts]
. Fire Warrior Shas'ui: Markerlight, Pulse rifle
. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle

Strike Team [2 PL, 38pts]
. Fire Warrior Shas'ui: Markerlight, Pulse rifle
. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (T'au Empire) [59 PL, 1239pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

T'au Empire Sept Choice: T'au Sept

+ HQ +

Cadre Fireblade [2 PL, 42pts]: 2. Through Unity, Devastation, Markerlight, Warlord

Commander in XV86 Coldstar Battlesuit [8 PL, 150pts]: 2x Burst cannon, High-output burst cannon, Missile pod

+ Troops +

Strike Team [2 PL, 38pts]
. Fire Warrior Shas'ui: Markerlight, Pulse rifle
. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle

Strike Team [2 PL, 38pts]
. Fire Warrior Shas'ui: Markerlight, Pulse rifle
. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle

Strike Team [2 PL, 38pts]
. Fire Warrior Shas'ui: Markerlight, Pulse rifle
. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle

+ Elites +

XV104 Riptide Battlesuit [16 PL, 342pts]: 2x Smart missile system, Ion accelerator, 2x MV84 Shielded Missile Drone, Target lock

+ Fast Attack +

Tactical Drones [2 PL, 40pts]: 4x MV7 Marker Drone

Tactical Drones [2 PL, 40pts]: 4x MV4 Shield Drone

+ Heavy Support +

XV88 Broadside Battlesuits [23 PL, 511pts]: 4x MV4 Shield Drone
. Broadside Shas'ui: 2x High-yield missile pod, 2x Smart missile system, Advanced targeting system, Seeker missile
. Broadside Shas'ui: 2x High-yield missile pod, 2x Smart missile system, Advanced targeting system, Seeker missile
. Broadside Shas'vre: 2x High-yield missile pod, 2x Smart missile system, Advanced targeting system, Seeker missile

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (T'au Empire) [24 PL, 444pts] ++

+ HQ +

Commander in XV8 Crisis Battlesuit [7 PL, 136pts]: Counterfire defence system, 3x Cyclic ion blaster

Ethereal [3 PL, 50pts]: Honour blade, Hover drone

+ Troops +

Breacher Team [2 PL, 38pts]
. 4x Fire Warrior
. Fire Warrior Shas'ui: Markerlight, Pulse blaster

Strike Team [2 PL, 38pts]
. Fire Warrior Shas'ui: Markerlight, Pulse rifle
. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle

Strike Team [2 PL, 38pts]
. Fire Warrior Shas'ui: Markerlight, Pulse rifle
. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle

+ Fast Attack +

Pathfinder Team [3 PL, 52pts]
. Pathfinder: Markerlight
. Pathfinder Shas'ui: Markerlight
. 3x Pathfinder w/ Ion Rifle: 3x Ion rifle

Pathfinder Team [3 PL, 52pts]
. Pathfinder: Markerlight
. Pathfinder Shas'ui: Markerlight
. 3x Pathfinder w/ Ion Rifle: 3x Ion rifle

Tactical Drones [2 PL, 40pts]: 4x MV4 Shield Drone

++ Total: [99 PL, 2000pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe

Sorry I didn't notice earlier, Shielded Missile Drones @25 pts a pop just aren't great, also the problem with taking drones as attachment to units is usually you can only take up to 2, and they do count as a separate unit meaning they are just free kill/victory points for your opponent. Also it seems the IA just doesn't seem the top tier pick anymore as the HBC @18 shots novacharged is just pure win.

Lets say you shoot a tank or a MC with T7/8 3+ save with 5 ML:

IA Novacharged: you should average 3.5 shots, and should hit 2.7222 of those, and wound 1.8148 for 5.44 damage they would get a 6+ save or nothing if you take ATS


HBC Novacharged (Using ATS): 18 shots, hitting with 13.998 of them, getting about 4.66 wounds they fail 3.11 of them for 6.22 wounds.

That is against a tank/big creature etc.... the HBC also does very well against infantry when the IA just falls way behind. The IA falls even further short if the tank/MC is toughness 9.

The HBC is the clear choice to take for Riptide. Sure you could roll a 6 for your shots on the IA and it will just shine that turn, but you could roll a 1 as well and just miss that shot. Consistency in a dice game is very nice, and its hard to argue with those 18 shots, as they well have a more reliable performance than the IA will and its easier to calculate an estimated destruction power when playing the game with the HBC.


Editted for a third time for: MATHHAMMER!!!!!!!!!!!

topaxygouroun i wrote:
I don't see how you get a mobile gunline with 3 broadsides and Ion pathfinders tho.

I agree. I see this as a static gunline. Even the Riptides are going to want to stay in the back.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 exploited751 wrote:

The HBC is the clear choice to take for Riptide. Sure you could roll a 6 for your shots on the IA and it will just shine that turn, but you could roll a 1 as well and just miss that shot. Consistency in a dice game is very nice, and its hard to argue with those 18 shots, as they well have a more reliable performance than the IA will and its easier to calculate an estimated destruction power when playing the game with the HBC.

Mathhammer over at Advanced Tau Tactica is saying quite the opposite about HBC vs IA.

If your gaming community is full of MEQ, I'd go IA. If it's Nids or IG, go HBC.

 Kilgore19d wrote:

topaxygouroun i wrote:
I don't see how you get a mobile gunline with 3 broadsides and Ion pathfinders tho.

I agree. I see this as a static gunline. Even the Riptides are going to want to stay in the back.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 exploited751 wrote:

The HBC is the clear choice to take for Riptide. Sure you could roll a 6 for your shots on the IA and it will just shine that turn, but you could roll a 1 as well and just miss that shot. Consistency in a dice game is very nice, and its hard to argue with those 18 shots, as they well have a more reliable performance than the IA will and its easier to calculate an estimated destruction power when playing the game with the HBC.

Mathhammer over at Advanced Tau Tactica is saying quite the opposite about HBC vs IA.

If your gaming community is full of MEQ, I'd go IA. If it's Nids or IG, go HBC.

Killing 6.221333 marines a turn with HBC cannot be worse than d6 shots on IA. That is against MEQ.

Also against Terminators, 4.666 wounds getting through resulting in 4.666 dead Terminators. IA would do again 2.7222 hits, 2.2685 wounds, with either 1.89 not being saved (no ATS) however I am using ATS for HBC so 2.2685 would get through, there would also be a 1/6 or 16.6667% chance that the terminator would suffer 1 wound instead of the guaranteed 2 needed to kill it. There is no way that 18 shots, is not as good as d6 shots against infantry, MEQ or not.

Edited: I really like the skull on your LR, that gak is sick looking.

So my gaming community is pretty small but I'm just starting so maybe I'll meet others. Mostly I'll be fighting against a player with Deathguard, one playing Primaris Ultramarines, one Necron, one Ork, and one who has 4 armies, Ultramarines, T'au, deathwatch, tyranids

 exploited751 wrote:

 Kilgore19d wrote:

topaxygouroun i wrote:
I don't see how you get a mobile gunline with 3 broadsides and Ion pathfinders tho.

I agree. I see this as a static gunline. Even the Riptides are going to want to stay in the back.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 exploited751 wrote:

The HBC is the clear choice to take for Riptide. Sure you could roll a 6 for your shots on the IA and it will just shine that turn, but you could roll a 1 as well and just miss that shot. Consistency in a dice game is very nice, and its hard to argue with those 18 shots, as they well have a more reliable performance than the IA will and its easier to calculate an estimated destruction power when playing the game with the HBC.

Mathhammer over at Advanced Tau Tactica is saying quite the opposite about HBC vs IA.

If your gaming community is full of MEQ, I'd go IA. If it's Nids or IG, go HBC.

Killing 6.221333 marines a turn with HBC cannot be worse than d6 shots on IA. That is against MEQ.

Also against Terminators, 4.666 wounds getting through resulting in 4.666 dead Terminators. IA would do again 2.7222 hits, 2.2685 wounds, with either 1.89 not being saved (no ATS) however I am using ATS for HBC so 2.2685 would get through, there would also be a 1/6 or 16.6667% chance that the terminator would suffer 1 wound instead of the guaranteed 2 needed to kill it. There is no way that 18 shots, is not as good as d6 shots against infantry, MEQ or not.

Edited: I really like the skull on your LR, that gak is sick looking.

Nova charged IA is not D6 its just 6 shots flat thats were your maths is off.

Ah thanks for catching that, I don't know how I missed that. So I see the HBC is gonna perform very well against like IG, Nids, Hordes etc.. it will still kill more marines, but barely, the IA is an obvious choice for Space Marine armies as it will perform almost as well against troops, but much better against MCs and vehicles.

Yes, yes, Nova charged of course. Either way you put it, you should always magnetize your Riptides. I don't really see vehicles as a big threat in the games I've played, so I've been favoring strength 7 weapons predominantly in my armies. S7 AP-1 really seems to be the sweet spot and anything more than that has too much of a risk of failure to perform. That's why I like the Ghostkeel so much more than the Riptide. It does more than just good shooting, it's highly defensive, highly maneuverable, and costs a lot less.