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Hi there,

as I have a certain weakness for underdogs (no, I am not a masochist ^^), I started getting into Tau and am purchasing the necessary models.

I already have some, but before I get deeper into spending for the following list, I would like to hear the opinions of people with the necessary knowledge.

I have never played Tau myself nor have I played against them in my group (actually I haven't been able to play at all for more than a year due to well known reasons), so there might be room for improvement....



++ Battalion Detachment 0CP (T'au Empire) [100 PL, 8CP, 1,993pts] ++

Sept Choice: T'au Sept

+ Stratagems [-3CP] +

Emergency Dispensation (2 Relics) [-3CP]




+ HQ [18 PL, -1CP, 395pts] +

Commander in XV86 Coldstar Battlesuit [9 PL, 200pts]: Cross-linked stabiliser jets, 4x Fusion blaster [60pts], Strength of Belief (T'au Sept), Vectored manoeuvring thrusters, Warlord
. 2x MV7 Marker Drone [20pts]: 2x Markerlight

Commander in XV86 Coldstar Battlesuit [9 PL, -1CP, 195pts]: 4. Through Boldness, Victory, 3x Fusion blaster [45pts], Promising Pupil [-1CP], Shield generator [10pts]
. 2x MV7 Marker Drone [20pts]: 2x Markerlight



+ Troops [9 PL, 195pts] +

Strike Team [3 PL, 65pts]
. Fire Warrior Shas'ui [9pts]: Pulse carbine, Pulse pistol
. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Pistol + Pulse Rifle [36pts]: 4x Photon grenades, 4x Pulse pistol, 4x Pulse rifle
. 2x MV7 Marker Drone [20pts]: 2x Markerlight

Strike Team [3 PL, 65pts]
. Fire Warrior Shas'ui [9pts]: Pulse carbine, Pulse pistol
. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Pistol + Pulse Carbine [36pts]: 4x Photon grenades, 4x Pulse carbine, 4x Pulse pistol
. 2x MV1 Gun Drone [20pts]: 4x Pulse carbine

Strike Team [3 PL, 65pts]
. Fire Warrior Shas'ui [9pts]: Pulse carbine, Pulse pistol
. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Pistol + Pulse Carbine [36pts]: 4x Photon grenades, 4x Pulse carbine, 4x Pulse pistol
. 2x MV1 Gun Drone [20pts]: 4x Pulse carbine



+ Elites [51 PL, 918pts] +

XV25 Stealth Battlesuits [11 PL, 175pts]
. 2x MV1 Gun Drone [20pts]: 4x Pulse carbine
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon [31pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts]
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon [31pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts]
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon [31pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts]
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon [31pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts]
. Stealth Shas'vre [31pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts], Burst cannon

XV25 Stealth Battlesuits [11 PL, 175pts]
. 2x MV1 Gun Drone [20pts]: 4x Pulse carbine
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon [31pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts]
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon [31pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts]
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon [31pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts]
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon [31pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts]
. Stealth Shas'vre [31pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts], Burst cannon

XV25 Stealth Battlesuits [11 PL, 175pts]
. 2x MV1 Gun Drone [20pts]: 4x Pulse carbine
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon [31pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts]
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon [31pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts]
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon [31pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts]
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon [31pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts]
. Stealth Shas'vre [31pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts], Burst cannon

XV8 Crisis Battlesuits [9 PL, 218pts]
. Crisis Shas'ui [66pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts], 2x Cyclic ion blaster [36pts]
. Crisis Shas'ui [66pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts], 2x Cyclic ion blaster [36pts]
. Crisis Shas'vre [66pts]: Advanced targeting system [5pts], 2x Cyclic ion blaster [36pts]
. 2x MV1 Gun Drone [20pts]: 4x Pulse carbine

XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuit [9 PL, 175pts]: 2x Fusion blaster [20pts], Fusion collider [5pts], Fusion obliterator, 2x MV5 Stealth Drone [20pts], Shield generator [5pts]



+ Fast Attack [4 PL, 80pts] +

Tetras [4 PL, 80pts]
. 2x Tetra Scout Speeder [4 PL, 80pts]: 2x High intensity markerlight, 4x Pulse rifle



+ Heavy Support [18 PL, 405pts] +

XV88 Broadside Battlesuits [6 PL, 135pts]
. Broadside Shas'vre [5 PL, 115pts]: 2x High-yield missile pod [30pts], 2x Smart missile system [10pts], Advanced targeting system [5pts]
. 2x MV7 Marker Drone [20pts]: 2x Markerlight

XV88 Broadside Battlesuits [6 PL, 135pts]
. Broadside Shas'vre [5 PL, 115pts]: 2x High-yield missile pod [30pts], 2x Smart missile system [10pts], Advanced targeting system [5pts]
. 2x MV7 Marker Drone [20pts]: 2x Markerlight

XV88 Broadside Battlesuits [6 PL, 135pts]
. Broadside Shas'vre [5 PL, 115pts]: 2x High-yield missile pod [30pts], 2x Smart missile system [10pts], Advanced targeting system [5pts]
. 2x MV7 Marker Drone [20pts]: 2x Markerlight

Created with BattleScribe (https://battlescribe.net)



General Idea:

1. take the center objectives via their Infiltrator ability with the Stealth Battle Suits .

2 hope to hold those objectives longer (2 rounds maybe?) than any Fire Warrior unit could, as now opponents hit me there as bad as I hit them with my BS4+ *grin*

3. Tau sept should help to discourage charges with weaker units .

4. Coldstar Commanders with crazy movement + Ghostkeel via Infiltrator take aim in first turn for tough things or units generally left in the back, forcing the opponent to divide his attention between Stealth Battle Suits on objectives and the hard hitting nuisance in his back.

5. both Coldstar Commanders have a certain protection for staying power: one with the move after shooting ability and a 5+++ (MW)....the other has a 4++

6. Ghostkeel should have a certain resitance with his -1 to hit and 4++ to keep him alive for a round or two, too?

7. Crisis Battle Suits and the two Pulse Carbine Fire Warriors (really fearsome, I know...) move in as 2nd liners, giving support to the Stealth Battle Suits.

8. The Tetras and the Marker Drones distribute some marker and try to negate deep striking in inconvenient spots.

9. The Pulse Rifle Fire Warrior unit holds the objective in my deployment area.

10. The Broadsides do what they probably always do: stay back and give fire support.


Another idea was to change the three 5 model Stealth Battle Suits units to four 3 model Stealth Batlle Suit units and only go for 2 center objectives placing two of those 3 model units on each of those two objectives. This way it makes it even harder for the opponent to remove them as he has to consider a possible overkill versus splitting attacks too much. This additionally offers the possibility of setting 4 drones in front to take the first charge unless he chooses to shoot them, leaving less shots for the Stealth Suits. Using these 3 model units morale tests do not matter anymore, too. ^^
EDIT #2: Aargh, just realized this is not allowed....rule of three!


Well, that is about it, I think...I know it will be hard nevertheless, but do you see a chance for this list?

Thank you for taking your time to have a look at the list!


Cheers


EDIT: Oh, forgot to mention, that I was tempted by Tau's possibility to play a "Battletech" army. So no Kroot and such ugly stuff, please!

Need to break it up, unless Farsight Enclaves, you cannot have more than 1 commander per detachment.

Tittliewinks22 wrote:
Need to break it up, unless Farsight Enclaves, you cannot have more than 1 commander per detachment.

Thanks for telling me!

Back to rewriting a list then...

Stealth suits when not put in harms way live the entire game, as soon as you put them in the middle of the board they'll get focused on. You have a lot of points in them. Maybe run 3 x 3 no options. Spend your points elsewhere for units that'll do some killing.

Right now breachers in devilfish of either V'orila (exit 3, move 6, advance 4.5 w/ ethereal nearby, fire 15 at full effect with strats and twice, 28.5" threat range), all for 90pts per breacher. Or farsight enclave, wait a turn, cruise up a flank, unload and also reroll wounds if you like. And with another strat all guns become pistols, and they also have pistols, so if you are patient. Turn 2... 60 pulse shots from V'orla... very scary.

Broadsides are very efficient for the points, but.... after your opponent decides they are done being bullied and hides their models, their effectiveness drops dramatically.

 Sazzlefrats wrote:
Broadsides are very efficient for the points, but.... after your opponent decides they are done being bullied and hides their models, their effectiveness drops dramatically.

Lol... but isn't that exactly what you should be doing for ALL games anyways and not only when you're facing broadsides? If you're not planning on going toe-to-toe and trade shots with any unit, they should be hidden.

@Sazzlefrats

Thanx for the hinting out those options! Might have to reconsider everything....


But can someone please tell me where it is ruled that only 1 commander per detachment is allowed unless Farsight enclave. I am unable to find that rule anywhere in the codex.

 skchsan wrote:

 Sazzlefrats wrote:
Broadsides are very efficient for the points, but.... after your opponent decides they are done being bullied and hides their models, their effectiveness drops dramatically.

Lol... but isn't that exactly what you should be doing for ALL games anyways and not only when you're facing broadsides? If you're not planning on going toe-to-toe and trade shots with any unit, they should be hidden.

Its a nice way of saying, they are so slow you won't be able to reposition and thus most likely in competitive games you won't make your investment back. Now things like a riptide, they move 12. A Y'Vahra... moves 18", a cold star moves 20" those are easier to use. I personally have a thing for sunshark bombers... moves up to 50", but... positioning for turn 2 is critical, cause if you only spend half the game on the table (you won't make your investment back... sounds familiar right?)

Amaurosis wrote:
@Sazzlefrats

Thanx for the hinting out those options! Might have to reconsider everything....


But can someone please tell me where it is ruled that only 1 commander per detachment is allowed unless Farsight enclave. I am unable to find that rule anywhere in the codex.

Pg 126 - Matched Play Rule

Well this is going in a bit of tactics discussion, but I think this would be true for railsides, but in my experiences (been facing them since I returned in 6th ed... 6.5 ed tau!!!!!!!) missilesides are usually deployed in a safe spot nearest to the center of the board. Once they get situated in the center by turn 2, they're pumping out a lot of shots that can reach all sides of the board - it's hard to stay out of missilesides' threat zone.

@ OP: given your unit/wargear selection, I would look into going custom sept with Hardened Warheads and Up-Gunned sept tenets, freeing up 90 pts to spend elsewhere.

Hardened Warhead is going to improve your missileside output without additional 5 pt expenditure per model (-15 pts)
Up-Gunned improves your stealth suits without pt expenditure (-5 x 5 x 3 = -75 pts)

Amaurosis wrote:
@Sazzlefrats
...But can someone please tell me where it is ruled that only 1 commander per detachment is allowed unless Farsight enclave. I am unable to find that rule anywhere in the codex.

As mentioned above in the T'au book on the "match play rules" section. The Farsight Enclave rules in the "Psychic Awakening: Greater Good" Allows for them to take 2 commanders per detachment instead of 1.

Great list. I wouldn't say it's a different approach on anything though, it's just a T'au list designed for 9th edition. You have solid board control, good shooting, pretty decent resilience. I dig it.

And just to reiterate, only Farsight Enclaves detachments are allowed to break the 'one Commander per detachment' restriction. It's in the Psychic Awakening: Greater Good supplement.

Thank you all for your hints!

But the more hints you give me to think about, the more new questions I have. *laugh*


Until I have the proper knowledge, I will move to the TAU tactics section as already mentioned:

 skchsan wrote:
Well this is going in a bit of tactics discussion, but ...

Cheers,
Amaurosis