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Hello!

This is my first stab at a Tau list, so I thought i'd start small at 750 points. I've really put together some simpler plans to get accustomed to the potential of Tau synergy. The idea is that the HQ sits back with a Fire Warrior Team and gives them aid with the Command and Control Node. While the Stealth Suits, with the Homing Beacon, Infiltrate up early game and help the XV8's deep strike right where they need to be—in the face of enemy infantry. This rambo squad employs the jump, shoot, jump method with some twin-linked flamer shenanigans. When they finally do return fire—hopefully i'm behind cover by now—I use the Neuroweb and it helps put a hurtin' on them as well. All the meanwhile my Fire Warriors are using the Markers from the Stealth Squad to the best of their ability. Like I said, this is fairly basic since I am new with Tau. This really is focused around the battleforce, and that is what I am planning on purchasing (it seems best economically). As for some backgound, many people I play with hardly use vehicles, so it's a lot of footslogging armies—hence the limited amount of anti-armor weapons. Let me know what you think, I really would love some input. Also, if it looks like I might be making a mistake please let me know, I found the Tau codex's formatting a bit confusing at times. Thanks!

750 Point Tau Army List:

HQ: XV8 Commander
Fusion Blaster x2
Command and Control Node
Target Lock
Total Points: 130 /130

Troop: Fire Warrior Team
Pulse Rifles x12
Additional Units x6
Shas’ui Upgrade
Markerlight and Target Lock
Total Points: 133 / 263

Troop: Fire Warrior Team
Pulse Rifles x12
Additional Units x6
Shas’ui Upgrade
Markerlight and Target Lock
Total Points: 133 / 399

Elite: XV8 Crisis Battlesuit
Additional Units x2
Unit 1: Flamer x2
Neuroweb System Jammer
Unit 2: Flamer x2
Stimulant Injectors
Unit 3: Flamer x2
Stimulant Injectors
Total Points: 128 / 524

Elite: Stealth Team
Stealth Shas’vre Upgrade
Homing Beacon
Marker Drones x2
Total Points: 134 / 658

Elite: Stealth Team
Total Points: 90 / 748

I would repurpose the suits. It will be to easy to not get far enough back from assault with flamers. Total assault range is 18" max while your assault move max is 12" And you need to be 6" or closer to really use the flamers.

Also don't post point costs for upgrades against forum rules and makes reading harder.

If you are running the buff mander I would drop the FB and give him 2 flamers fro overwatch duty. The 18" range of the FB makes them pretty useless for a home guard unit.

i would drop the markerlights from the firewarrior squads. Not a bad way to get them but since you already have more mobile and tougher on the SV25's I would make that the ML unit by given the 'ver a markerlight, and target locks to the other 2 suits. This will give you 3 ML that can target something while the BC's target something else.

If you are going Battleforce, and it looks like you are using 2, you will have 24 FW, 6 XV8, 6 XV25, 2 Piranna, 2 ML drones, 16 gun drones and the option for solid 1000-1200 pt lists. Here is how I would set that up for a low vehicle meta:

HQ: 110
1 Commander w/BC//PR 110

Elite: 288
3 XV8 w/BC/ PR 141
3 XV25 w/2ML drones,Vre upgrade, ML+TL, 2 TL, DC 147

Troop: 252
8 FW w/GD 84
8 FW w/GD 84
8 FW w/GD 84

Fast: 100
2 Piranha w/FB 100

That is 750 on the nose. You got a S5 to the face with a mix of AP2 and melta weapons. The only thing you are going to have real issues with will be flyers. At 750 there probably won't be many.

Thanks for the input, and for pointing out the forum rules mishap I made.

Regarding the Commander, I was weighing the FB against the use of MP. But the use of flamers would offer a good touch to overwatch. Do you feel that since I'm typically facing troop heavy armies that the value of the flamers would trump the value of the MP? Then again, in order to use the buffs I would need to now use MP anyhow. This in mind I do see why flamers on the Commander would be good since they wouldn't really require use until late game when the buff won't be useful if they're assaulting.

I wasn't too sure on the use of ML in the Firewarrior Squads. I found the codex a bit confusing on their use. I also really don't know how many is too many. I do understand though why the Target Locks are of use, since that Stealth Squad wouldn't be able to take advantage of the ML they shot.

I apologize if some of these questions seem a bit simply. Tau is still an army that I'm very new to, but I do appreciate the help.

MLs in a FW squad are nice if you have a mech list or a lot of seekers. They can light up something for the seekers to increase the hitting power of the vehicle or come in handy on overwatch supporting fire to increase the next squads ability to gun down a unit.

Flamers are kind of a bad weapon for Tau out side of terrain/bunker swamped boards do to the very short range. If you the troops you face are PA then the range of missles helps to let you hit them early and often. If you are facing IG or nids the flamers can help cut the horde down to size, at the increased likelihood of getting caught.