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Okay so I'm currently in the process of building my army and my army is mostly finished. Now that I pretty much understand which models i'm buying to build my list and what my list is I'd like to consider the two main tau strategies (not tactics), the Mont'ka and Kauyon.

The Mont'ka strategy involves eliminating a unit or units from the opponent that would cripple the effectiveness of their army, striking as quickly and efficiently as possible. This requires understanding which target is the priority as well as how to most effectively, and safely deliver a killing blow to this unit. What I'd like to ask is if anyone has any words of wisdom or tips on how I can do this most effectively. Or even which units are best to use in what circumstance.

The second strategy is the Kauyon which means the patient hunter. This one interests me the most (although I plan to incorporate both into my overall strategy) because I feel this can be the most fun to actually pull off. This strategy involves using bait (not a suicide unit) and getting the opponent to fall for it, taking out their (hopefully) prized unit and quickly retreating to safely (if necessary) to do it again. I'd like to know what little tricks I can pull and words of wisdom to use this strategy effectively.

I have another question. Do you feel that if I were to use the Kauyon strategy that it would be viable to go on turn 2 so that I can set up my units in response to their placement? This would allow me to most effectively set a trap from the beginning don't you think? Plus there is a chance I can steal the initiative and make my strategy work even more effectively.

Total - 1995 pts

[HQ]
Crisis Commander - 179 pts
-1 Commander
- -Airbursting Fragmentation Projector
- -Cyclic Ion Blaster
- -Stimulant Injector
- -Puretide Engram Neurochip
- -Iridium Armor
-2 Shield Drones

Commander Shadowsun - 135 pts


[Troops]
Fire Warrior Team x8 - 100 pts
-9 Fire Warriors
-1 Shas'ui

Fire Warrior Team x8 - 100 pts
-9 Fire Warriors
-1 Shas'ui

Fire Warrior Team x8 - 100 pts
-9 Fire Warriors
-1 Shas'ui

Kroot Carnivore Squad - 96 pts
-13 Kroot Carnivores
- -Sniper Rounds
-1 Kroot Hound


[Elites]
Crisis Team x3 - 171 pts
-3 Shas'ui
- -TL Missile Pods
- -Missile Pods

Crisis Team x3 - 207 pts
-3 Shas'ui
- -TL Fusion Blasters
- -Plasma Rifles
-3 Shield Drones

Riptide - 240 pts
-Riptide
- -Ion Accelerator
- -TL Fusion Blasters
- -Velocity Tracker
- -Stimulant Injector


[Fast Attack]
Pathfinders x6 - 77 pts
-5 Pathfinders
-1 Pathfinder Shas'ui
- -Blacksun Filter

Pathfinders x6 - 77 pts
-5 Pathfinders
-1 Pathfinder Shas'ui
- -Blacksun Filter


[Heavy Support]
Broadside Team x3 - 195 pts
-3 Broadsides (TL Heavy Rail Rifle)

Hammerhead Gunship - 154 pts
-Hammerhead (Rail Gun)
- -Submunition Rounds
- -TL Smart Missile System
- -Blacksun Filter
- -Disruption Pod
- -1 Seeker Missile

Hammerhead Gunship - 149 pts
-Hammerhead (Ion Cannon)
- -TL Smart Missile System
- -Blacksun Filter
- -Disruption Pod
- -1 Seeker Missile

Both strategies rely on your knowing your opponent and what their army/units can do. Mont'ka is the easiest of the strategies and our army is set up to utilize it. You just decide what unit is the most dangerous, put some marker lights on it and make it dead. Because of our long ranger we can focus fire much better than other armies. Most armies have about a 24'' shooting range and it is unlikely that they can focus on more than the unit ahead of them. We need to use our fire power on a single unit to destroy it and then move to the next. You typically want to take out the opponent's long range weapons or fast assault units first. This will give you more time. Don't be afraid to pump everything you got at a single unit and don't try to spread out the fire among multiple small units. You want to kill and move on rather than cause small casualties to multiple units over a few turns.

Kauyon is a bit more difficult and not needed as much thanks to marker lights removing cover. For this you either sit right outside of the opponents range making it seem like a good idea to come out and shoot. Once they are exposed you lay the pulse into them. You can do the same thing with hammerheads and riptides. Set them out in the open and shot at any tank hunters that try to get close to them. Another way to Kauyon is to use our jet pack mobility to force a unit to follow you. If your opponent is going after your crisis suits jump them to an area where the unit chasing becomes exposed and fire at them.

Objectives can also be used for kauyon. Place one near your gun line and let the opponent try to take it. If you do it right you can kill enemy units as they come and still run up and take it right before the game ends.

Kau'Yon for the win.

Pathfinders are excellent for allowing you to go second and drawing the enemy tothe open.

I did it last night, scouting the Devilfish to the centr of the board and drawing two Assault marine units out. they failed their charge of course as it would have been a long one. then I shot past them and blasted them with Riptides. Scoring units ARE important!

Thanks very much for the replies, especially you lamb. Your tips are a great help.

@lamb: do you think pathfinder scouts make good bait?

@jancoran: How do pathfinders allow me to go second?

Pathfinders don't allow you to go second, they act as the bait for the Kauyon.

If you go second, you see where he sets up, then set up your pathfinders after scout move so that in order for your enemy to go after them they have to move into your long range fire zones from FWs, Sniper Drones, Riptides, Blast template Hammerheads etc.

You go second by choice whenever you can. I wasn't saying Pathfinders made you do it. But I use the Kau'yon way of war big time.

Patient Hunting means to draw the enemy out to the open where you can met them with maximum unfair amounts of force.

What isn't explicitly explained in the book, but what I have found in practice, is that this works really well if you are good with reserves. The idea is not just for the enemy to be out in the open but also ISOLATED. To isolate the enemy you have to give them... targets, far apart.

The clock ticks and the enemy knows it must come to objectives eventually. It also wants to kill you. So by separating your targets and deploying very little, the enemy will break up part of its bulk for objectives, part of it for Hunting and part of it for defense/gunlining.

The net resul;t is, the enemy will break ap[art into "pools" of troops.

As an example, two singular broadsides sitting in the reeds at opposing cortners of the board begin racking up KP's on the enemy vehicles. they are so far apart that to stop them from doing this the enemy MUST send hunters. Two of them in fact. If not you keep claiming victims all game long.

Now they cannot BET that their shooting, which probably DOESN'T have enough range to get much into BOTH the disparate targets can do the trick before the Broadsides do in far more than their share. They gotta go.

So this is an example of you using a small number of units to draw the enemy into the open and across long open distances. The trap is complete when the now separated parts which are weaker than the whole, are attacked at their weakest point by overwhelming Tau reserves.

Pathfinders are going to be key for using these tactics moving forward.

Pathfinders guide in the reserves perfectly to their destination. The Pathfinders can actually BE the bait for aggressive melee oriented troops to chase before fading at full speed backwards (or forwards depending on your plan).

The Kauyon way is to kill and fade, such that the REST of the enemy force, now badly out of position trying to kill Red herrings, must cross MORE distance to respond. In the end the game will end before they can do it effectively and your losses are reduced as a result. You will be sitting on objectives and in position to contest the rest.

This is how *I* execute the Kauyon.

Wow...this sounds like awesome fun with the Tau. Who would have imagined the background description of their strategies had actual practical real-life implications. Also, my love is the Craftworld Eldar, in fact I even have the Warhammer Fantasy equivalent, the High Elves' Armybook. You got any strategies for that? I thought up a special rule for the two types of Guardians, Defender and Storm. Basically, for +2Pts, they get a statistic increase of +1 to either WS or BS, specific to their specialisation, and for +1Pt, they can add +1 to the other remaining WS or BS.

For that to work, there must be some changes to their stats:

WS:3 BS:3 S:3 T:3 A:1 W:1 I:4 L:8 AS:4+
Point Cost: 8
Wargear: Shuriken Catapult for Defender/Shuriken Pistol for Storm

The Shuriken Catapult has the following profile: R:18" S:4 AP:5 T:A2.

The Shuriken Pistol has the following profile: R:12" S:4 AP:5 T, Shuriken Hail.
The Shuriken Pistol fires off a Shuriken Hail, instead of a single shot like the pistols of the other races. This means that it is treated as an Assault 2 weapon during the Shooting Phase, and as a Pistol weapon during the Assault Phase.

Special Rules:
Tactical Withdrawal: The Citizen Militia of Guardian Defenders and Storm Guardians are a precious commodity of the Craftworld, being composed of the normal citizenry that comprise the work force and intellectual elite of the Craftworld. Although they take up arms to war, the Eldar will never risk leaving an entire troop of them to be lost, providing the best armour they can equip them as a main issue wargear, while providing orders that should the unit receive heavy casualties that will reduce them pass a certain point, they will have to make a tactical withdrawal from the battle in a way that will preserve their lives as long as possible. Should a Guardian unit be reduced to below 50% of its original unit strength, the unit will immediately Fall Back and Retreat towards their table edge. Should they encounter or be intercepted by an enemy unit, they will engage them in close combat as usual, rolling to see if they Regroup, but should the unit lose even a single round of combat, they will once again Fall Back, Retreating after a Sweeping Advance is made.
Citizen Militia: For +2 Points a Guardian Defender can increase its BS by 1 to 4, while a Storm Defender can increase its WS by 1 to 4. Both types may increase the statistic that is not their specialisation, for +1 Point for each.

There are other rules I have thought up too, and I have a great revisioning of the Eldar as both using very advanced technology, that even the Tau's pales in comparison, combined with an emphasis of the training of martial skill, to an extent and level that is merged seamlessly with the utility of their high-tech weapons.

A good eldar(not the cheese lists) will do pretty much the same thing, but with faster, more resiliant, better armed transport/ifvs(wave serpent). Eldar and tau both have armies that, while fairly powerful in some builds, are meant to be more tactical in play. Unfortunately GW caved to the collectors that wanted easier play with those armies and handed out cheese like a wine-tasting.