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I came up with a completely new unit for the Tau: a close combat robot called the Riot Drone.
I always hear people saying one big flaw with the Tau faction is that they don't participate in two whole phases of the game: the psychic and fight phase. It would be better for both players and the game as a whole if the Tau had some tools or options to participate in those phases while still having them be the faction's greatest vulnerability.
For the psychic phase I can only recommend tinfoil hats, but for the fight phase, I think if the Tau have a problem with Firewarriors being charged and slaughtered by infiltrating infantry, they would find a way to adapt. I don't want to make the Kroot or the Tidewall Shieldline obsolete, so I think what the Tau could use is a tanky screen unit.
So what I thought of is basically a riot control drone, that is a shield drone with legs. It walks instead of flies, slowly I think, and I decided twin-linked pulse pistols would be more fluff appropriate than a melee weapon.
I'm looking for constructive criticism to balance this, so if dual pulse pistols is too overpowered for the fight phase then I suppose the drone can just use basic melee attacks.

Here's the datasheet on google docs:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fw1YMwMER7VEHc0mq05pdSc19gHd5_sL/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=112727699732867736352&rtpof=true&sd=true

But also here are the stats in forum format:

RIOT DRONE
4 Power / 80 Points . . . or maybe take the average of a 4 tac drone unit, a 3 crisis suit unit, and a 3 stealth suit unit.

5" Move --- WS 5+ --- BS 5+ --- S4 --- T5 --- 3 Wounds --- 2 Attacks --- 7 Ld --- Sv 3+ 5++

Equipped with "twin-linked" pulse pistols. . . . Note that I modeled it with two pistols attached like pulse carbines, but for gameplay it's just a pulse pistol with 2 shots. (Pistol 2)

Can trade the twin-linked pulse pistols for a flamer for 5 points.

Abilities: Has all abilities that a flightless shield drone would have plus a new one:

Shield Wall: When taking a morale test, subtract 1 from the roll for each model in the unit.
For this I figured the drones should be programmed to hold the line and have a trick against morale, but I'm completely fine with tossing this.
--
EDIT: Changed from T4 2W Sv4+4++ to T5 3W Sv3+5++. Trying to make it just tough enough to hold the line. Also changed the two pistol-1's to a pistol-2 just to make sure it shoots properly in melee.
--
So that's my Riot Drone. I'm looking forward to kitbashing it once I order a single sniper drone box along with some other materials.

I don't get the purpose. Its a Shielf Drone with 2 Pulse Pistols, what's the gimmick?

This seems worse than a straight-up Shield Drone. Conceptually, the idea of a beefy drone to hold the melee line is good! The mechanics you wrote fail to capture that, though.

Well, I didn't want the drone to be GOOD at melee combat, just able to block charging units and survive, then fall back and let breacher teams through to mow them down. Or be the shield for the kroot to be the spear.
Do you think it would be alright to make it tankier on account of its armored legs? Should I make it Toughness 5 or Save on 3+ 4++ ?

 kingpbjames wrote:
Well, I didn't want the drone to be GOOD at melee combat, just able to block charging units and survive, then fall back and let breacher teams through to mow them down. Or be the shield for the kroot to be the spear.
Do you think it would be alright to make it tankier on account of its armored legs? Should I make it Toughness 5 or Save on 3+ 4++ ?

I think that a bigger, beefier Drone would be better. Not just a legged Shield Drone, but a CHONKY Drone.

T5, W3, 3+ and maybe a 5++? 4++ might be a bit much.

 JNAProductions wrote:

 kingpbjames wrote:
--Should I make it Toughness 5 or Save on 3+ 4++ ?

I think that a bigger, beefier Drone would be better. Not just a legged Shield Drone, but a CHONKY Drone.

T5, W3, 3+ and maybe a 5++? 4++ might be a bit much.

Ok, I did originally consider using the bigger drone the Pathfinders have as a base so that it would have more wounds and indeed be thicker, but I also had the idea that this drone was built hastily during an ork invasion by repurposing shield drones.
Also, the 4++ is what shield drones have so I left it. Are you saying it would be better to trade some of its Save for higher Toughness and Wounds?

 kingpbjames wrote:

 JNAProductions wrote:

 kingpbjames wrote:
--Should I make it Toughness 5 or Save on 3+ 4++ ?

I think that a bigger, beefier Drone would be better. Not just a legged Shield Drone, but a CHONKY Drone.

T5, W3, 3+ and maybe a 5++? 4++ might be a bit much.

Ok, I did originally consider using the bigger drone the Pathfinders have as a base so that it would have more wounds and indeed be thicker, but I also had the idea that this drone was built hastily during an ork invasion by repurposing shield drones.
Also, the 4++ is what shield drones have so I left it. Are you saying it would be better to trade some of its Save for higher Toughness and Wounds?

I always think it's better to err on the side of underpowered than overpowered, when brewing content up, so a 4++ might be a lil' much on a beefy body. Could just say that the larger frame means the shield generator isn't able to cover the whole thing, hence the reduced invuln save.

If you want to go down the route of a beefier Drone perhaps use the Remora as a base for stats. T5 6W and a 4++ save.

Maybe give it a burst cannon and some sort of defensive weapon and leave it at that.

 Valkyrie wrote:
If you want to go down the route of a beefier Drone perhaps use the Remora as a base for stats. T5 6W and a 4++ save.

Maybe give it a burst cannon and some sort of defensive weapon and leave it at that.

I hadn't heard of the Remora but a walking version of that might be too savage. Instead of a burst cannon I did consider giving it a flamer but with two pistols I also wonder if that's too much.
So I changed the statline to T5, 2W, and a 3+5++ Save. I considered 3 wounds but since these are units of 4 models I thought that might be too thick of a wall.

 kingpbjames wrote:

 Valkyrie wrote:
If you want to go down the route of a beefier Drone perhaps use the Remora as a base for stats. T5 6W and a 4++ save.

Maybe give it a burst cannon and some sort of defensive weapon and leave it at that.

I hadn't heard of the Remora but a walking version of that might be too savage. Instead of a burst cannon I did consider giving it a flamer but with two pistols I also wonder if that's too much.
So I changed the statline to T5, 2W, and a 3+5++ Save. I considered 3 wounds but since these are units of 4 models I thought that might be too thick of a wall.

I don't think W3 is too much.

Compare to a Heavy Intercessor.

 JNAProductions wrote:

 kingpbjames wrote:

So I changed the statline to T5, 2W, and a 3+5++ Save. I considered 3 wounds but since these are units of 4 models I thought that might be too thick of a wall.

I don't think W3 is too much.

Compare to a Heavy Intercessor.

Hmm, well they are 28pts per model and mine are only 20. Then again they have much more firepower.
I'll up it to 3 wounds and see how that works. I don't know when I'll be able to field test this since I'm in the middle of a remodel but it will be in the first game I play.

I like the concept of a sheildwall drone which can be used as a blocker for the firewarriors!
No idea on the stats though :-)

How about something like this?

M5" WS 5+ BS 5+ S5 T5 W4 A2 Ld7 Sv4+

Wargear
Burst Cannon
Defensive Charge - Range 12", S5 Ap- D1, Assault 6. Units that suffer an unsaved wound from this weapon must subtract 1" from any charge rolls made until the controlling player's next turn.

Options
This unit may exchange their Burst Cannons for Infrasmoke Launchers.

Special Rules
Fortify (Action): Any number of Riot Drone units can attempt this action at the start of the Movement Phase. The action is completed at the end of the Movement Phase. If completed, until the controlling player's next turn add 1 to any hit rolls made by this unit.

Infrasmoke Launchers: Once per battle, a unit with this upgrade may select a single friendly unit within 8". Until the start of the controlling player's next turn, subtract 1 from any hit rolls that target that unit. This ability may only be used on Infantry units, unless there are 3 Riot Drones in the unit, in which case any non-Titanic unit may be chosen.

 Valkyrie wrote:
How about something like this?

M5" WS 5+ BS 5+ S5 T5 W4 A2 Ld7 Sv4+

Spoiler:

Wargear
Burst Cannon
Defensive Charge - Range 12", S5 Ap- D1, Assault 6. Units that suffer an unsaved wound from this weapon must subtract 1" from any charge rolls made until the controlling player's next turn.

Options
This unit may exchange their Burst Cannons for Infrasmoke Launchers.

Special Rules
Fortify (Action): Any number of Riot Drone units can attempt this action at the start of the Movement Phase. The action is completed at the end of the Movement Phase. If completed, until the controlling player's next turn add 1 to any hit rolls made by this unit.

Infrasmoke Launchers: Once per battle, a unit with this upgrade may select a single friendly unit within 8". Until the start of the controlling player's next turn, subtract 1 from any hit rolls that target that unit. This ability may only be used on Infantry units, unless there are 3 Riot Drones in the unit, in which case any non-Titanic unit may be chosen.

Wow, that is a lot more interesting than my unit. I like that it's more of a typical Tau unit that uses close-range weapons and a grav-inhibitor-like ability instead of any sort of melee weapons. However for the Defensive Charge weapon did you mean Assault d6 instead of a flat 6? I think a 6-shooting S5 weapon even with short range is pretty heavy.

 kingpbjames wrote:

 Valkyrie wrote:
How about something like this?

M5" WS 5+ BS 5+ S5 T5 W4 A2 Ld7 Sv4+

Spoiler:

Wargear
Burst Cannon
Defensive Charge - Range 12", S5 Ap- D1, Assault 6. Units that suffer an unsaved wound from this weapon must subtract 1" from any charge rolls made until the controlling player's next turn.

Options
This unit may exchange their Burst Cannons for Infrasmoke Launchers.

Special Rules
Fortify (Action): Any number of Riot Drone units can attempt this action at the start of the Movement Phase. The action is completed at the end of the Movement Phase. If completed, until the controlling player's next turn add 1 to any hit rolls made by this unit.

Infrasmoke Launchers: Once per battle, a unit with this upgrade may select a single friendly unit within 8". Until the start of the controlling player's next turn, subtract 1 from any hit rolls that target that unit. This ability may only be used on Infantry units, unless there are 3 Riot Drones in the unit, in which case any non-Titanic unit may be chosen.

Wow, that is a lot more interesting than my unit. I like that it's more of a typical Tau unit that uses close-range weapons and a grav-inhibitor-like ability instead of any sort of melee weapons. However for the Defensive Charge weapon did you mean Assault d6 instead of a flat 6? I think a 6-shooting S5 weapon even with short range is pretty heavy.

I had two ideas; either a D6 autohitting weapon or a non-random option. I based it off Shadowsun's Flechette Blaster but made it a bit stronger. Given it's hitting on 4's at the most it's not close to game-breaking.

 Valkyrie wrote:
How about something like this?

M5" WS 5+ BS 5+ S5 T5 W4 A2 Ld7 Sv4+

Wargear
Burst Cannon
Defensive Charge - Range 12", S5 Ap- D1, Assault 6. Units that suffer an unsaved wound from this weapon must subtract 1" from any charge rolls made until the controlling player's next turn.

Options
This unit may exchange their Burst Cannons for Infrasmoke Launchers.

Special Rules
Fortify (Action): Any number of Riot Drone units can attempt this action at the start of the Movement Phase. The action is completed at the end of the Movement Phase. If completed, until the controlling player's next turn add 1 to any hit rolls made by this unit.

Infrasmoke Launchers: Once per battle, a unit with this upgrade may select a single friendly unit within 8". Until the start of the controlling player's next turn, subtract 1 from any hit rolls that target that unit. This ability may only be used on Infantry units, unless there are 3 Riot Drones in the unit, in which case any non-Titanic unit may be chosen.

I like this. It does feel more like a unit that you take for the smoke launchers and potentially aggressive "defensive" charge use than a melee charge catcher. Your version reads to me as being more for blunting long-ranged incoming fire rather than dealing with enemy chargers.

I think I'd start with the T5 W3 profile, and then give it a rule that lets it attempt to charge enemy units that attempt to charge allied units within 3". (Instead of the smoke launchers and Fortify rule.) That way, it literally hovers next to your other units and then flies forward to intercept enemy charges, which means your opponent is left with the interesting decisions of either shooting these things to death or charging from a specific angle to avoid having their charge blunted. And by leaving them just meh in melee, you're encouraged to have them fall back on your turn so that they can catch another charge later. Which I feel ties into the tau aversion to throwing away resources (even drones).

Well, I did make this unit specifically to intercept charging enemies and to be a frontline of shields for firewarriors to form up behind.
The reason I made it a 4-legged walking drone is because i figured a hover drone would be easy to bat out of the sky. The legs act as support when being hammered in melee.

I don't mind giving Riot Drones some utility with smoke launchers but they should hinder the enemy's charges instead of ballistic skill.
The intended role of these drones is to keep enemies back where the Tau can have a nice, familiar shootout. For armies that are going to charge in no matter what, come hell or high water, the riot drones would be the first line of defense. Intercepting the charge, stinging the chargers a bit but hopefully surviving to fall back and let breachers and crisis suits swoop in for the kill.