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I know Mech Tau is seen as boring, but I don't care. I enjoy playing Mech Tau no matter how cookie cutter it is and since it is only for competitive tournaments I'm not too concerned about how much fun my opponent has. Comp also doesn't feature.
So here it is:

-Shas'O @134pts: Plasma, Missile, Fusion, multi-tracker, stims. anti-tank support if necessary, otherwise a fireknife with extra punch up close.
-Shas'el @102pts: plasma, missile, array, multi-tracker, target lock. 'Vre @112pts: plasma, missile, array, multi-tracker, 2 shield drones. über fireknife unit. the 'el has a TL as the unit can be overkill sometimes.

-2 XV8 @169pts: both w/ plasma, missile, multi-tracker. Team Leader w/ array, 2 shield drones. Fireknife, awesome as always.
-2 XV8 @169pts: both w/ plasma, missile, multi-tracker. Team Leader w/ array, 2 shield drones.
-2 XV8 @169pts: both w/ plasma, missile, multi-tracker. Team Leader w/ array, 2 shield drones.

-6 FWs @60pts: rifles.
-10 Kroot @70pts: -. I love Kroot, I think they're the best unit in the 'dex. They take on the role of anti-GEq, speed bump, infiltration pushback, sacrificial unit and annoyance factor.
-10 Kroot @70pts: -.
-10 Kroot @70pts: -.
-10 Kroot @70pts: -.

-Hammerhead @185pts: Railgun, SMS, multi-tracker, target lock, decoy, d-pod. Railheads ftw, there is no better battle tank in the game imo. My holy trinity has never failed to deliver.
-Hammerhead @185pts: Railgun, SMS, multi-tracker, target lock, decoy, d-pod.
-Hammerhead @185pts: Railgun, SMS, multi-tracker, target lock, decoy, d-pod.


Ideally I'd like to have 2 ICs like I do at 1500pts as with all the Kroot they're practically untargetable and can move around almost with impunity. However I can't go up to 1750 and leave my plasma/missile firepower the same, it is one of my biggest firepower sources. The tri-weapon 'O is there to help out the Railheads against AV13/14 if necessary. With FNP and 4 wounds he's very tough, you need to insta-kill him to really make sure he dies. He can even be used to bog down enemy units in cc so long as they don't have power weapons or something like that.
40 Kroot may seem like overkill and I can't say for sure if it is or not. 30 Kroot in 1500 certainly isn't, that i can say for certain, so another 10 for 250pts probably won't be. I just love playing with Kroot, they annoy the heck out of most opponent's as they just generally get in the way. And against GEqs 40 Kroot can put out some serious hurt.
The Railheads are a real no brainer, I'm yet to fight an army where they haven't been useful.

How does that look ?

Hi Mephet'ran first I want to say that your enthusiasm is great. The way that you support your unit selections with a little bit of sunshine makes me think of that REM song Happy Shiny People. Its a great song for its time. And not too bad today.

Second I want to say that there are support classes to help you get over tau. Its called Nids, Marines and to a slightly less extent Chaos. When they get done schooling you, you'll have a better education than me.

Third Mech Tau generally has some devilfish. Your tau is more the way I play tau infantry based. Personally I like it better its much more fun to play and I can't imagine any opponent unless you find one that hasn't a clue, that would complain about how boring your army is. And this is why.

They are going to have a blast killing your kroot! There's just no way to save them. I know all the cool uses for Kroot... but still... they'll die with no chance to regain the cost of the loss and 6 FWs? They'll die too. But then who cares the whole thrust of your army is crisis suits and the hammerheads. There's nothing wrong with hammerheads, your leader looks good too (consider the retro rocket things though)

I'd drop the shas'vre and sheild drones. Might go with a devilfish and put a buncha firewarrriors in it. As its stands your army will have major issues with pie plates. This could mitigate it a little plus give you a bit more horde support. Otherwise it should do fine until you go against tier 1 competition armies.

Why would I want to get over Tau ? And why by playing such utterly boring armies (except Nids) ?

A competitive Mech Tau army doesn't have Devilfish for the simple reason that for the 120pts one has to spend on a Devilfish to make it good you can get 2 Fireknife Crisis that are waaaaaaay better. Firewarriors suck. This is a basic truth about the Tau codex, firewarriors suck. There is only one army against which they are ok: footslogging orks, and with all due respect mech Tau beats them with or without firewarriors.


Who are "they" ? Sure against certain armies the Kroot and 6 FWs will be shot to death, but who cares ? They make up less than 1/5 of my army. Against other armies they will save my butt.
You mean vectored-thrusters ? Yeah, they're cool but they cost a hard-point. They're good, but not better than having 3 weapons.

Why does my army have a problem with pie plates ? Lets consider pie plates. They come in two forms; direct and indirect.
Ones that fire direct have to stand in LOS, which means they're dead by turn 2 from 3 Railheads and 9 Fireknives
Ones that fire indirect are almost always based on a very weak unit (whirlwind, bassie, defiler) and as such are very easy to kill with 1-2 DSing fireknife units or are vulnerable to being out maneuvered by my Hammerheads. They exception is a Defiler w/ mutated hull. However the defiler is so big that it is childsplay to get a Railhead in LOS. And I still have the 'O w/ FB, MP to deep strike.

Anyone else ?

What would you like to hear? It's an annoying Tau list. This, I guess, is good for you, since you don’t care about opponents having fun or comp. At least someone is taking kroot.

Every competitive Tau list should have at least 20 Kroot in it.

But yeah, you're right, theres not much to say about it.

They are all proven units. Winning will come down to opponent selection and tactics. Good luck