Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

not many drones in this list, so bear with it....
also, dont have the dex on hand, so not remembering the names of the systems... just what they do.


Shadowsun 135 pts

Riptide #1 235 pts
--Ion Cannon, SMS, skyfire and interceptor
--1 SMD

Riptide #2 205 pts
--Heavy burst cannon, SMS
--1 SMD

Stealth team (3+1) 160 pts
3x burst cannons, target lock
1x fusion, skyfire

fire warriors#1 188 pts
12x rifles,(no shasui), devilfish(2 gun drones)

fire warriors#2 188 pts
12x rifles,(no shasui), devilfish(2 gun drones)

fire warriors#3 108 pts
12x rifles,(no shasui)

kroot (19+1+2) 165 pts
19 + shaper + 2x hounds + sniper rounds

Sunshark bomber 168 pts
--twin linked SMS, decoy launchers

hammerhead 201pts
--longstrike,rail w/ submunitions, SMS, 2 seekers, ** sensor spines, auto repair. (can drop either one...) **


as this list sits... it is 1753 pts.. i could take off either of the systems attached to longstrikes sub-railhead. this is for a local *fun* league my buddy is hosting. NOT A TOURNEY

I am concerned with the lack of Markerlights in a pure Tau army. I definitely won't state all the 'tourney' stuff as you made it clear it is for a fun league. However, I do think you really need to take a look at some areas where you are spending a good amount of points on things that are a bit iffy on utility (Devilfish would be my starting point-I can appreciate wanting to at least try the flier albeit not very good for its points).

I take it shadowsun is with the stealth team? That is decent, but you don't need the skyfire on the fusion gun. Target locks for splitting fire is more than enough, as you have decent AA elsewhere.

The HBC makes a better AA gun than the ion cannon. All the ion cannon really needs is interceptor to mitigate drop pods, outflankers, etc. Give the HBC tide both for serious air defense.

With the large numbers, kroot don't really need a shaper. Outflank or infiltriate into cover and you should be OK.

Longstrike needs a disruption pod to stay alive.

Shielded missile drones are more of a crutch than they are worth. They are easy to kill and will cause a leadership test if killed. You can drop both of them and save 50 points for other things.

With those 50 pts. you can take an ethereal for more dakka/ better leadership for your firewarriors.

i dont really see myself throwing the kroot into terrain, as the only table with "jungle/forest" terrain has 3 pieces with trees, and it was built by the resident nid player, so he hadsomething to make use of his new warlord trait... nids got screwed over on that...
ok, so i revised, using the suggestions. i split the kroot into 2 squads of 10+1 (hound), sniper rounds, no shaper., tossed an etherial in, changed system loadouts on the tides, dropped target lock from the fusion stealth, and added disruption pod to Longstrike. now the question is... should i drop the squad of firewarriors that is without a transport in favor of adding a shasui with markerlight/target lock and 2 markerdrones to the other 2 squads? if so, here is the list.


Shadowsun 135 pts

Etherial (50)

Riptide #1 210pts
--Ion Cannon, SMS, interceptor

Riptide #2 205 pts
--Heavy burst cannon, SMS , skyfire and interceptor

Stealth team (3+1) 140 pts
3x burst cannons, target lock
1x fusion,

fire warriors#1 237pts
12x rifles,(with shasui), devilfish(2 gun drones), 2 marker drones, Shasui markerlight/target lock

fire warriors#2 237 pts
12x rifles,(with shasui), devilfish(2 gun drones), 2 marker drones,Shasui markerlight/target lock

kroot #1 (10+1) 75 pts
10+ 1 hound + sniper rounds

kroot #2 (10+1) 75 pts
10+ 1 hound + sniper rounds

Sunshark bomber 168 pts
--twin linked SMS, decoy launchers

hammerhead 216 pts
--longstrike,rail w/ submunitions, SMS, 2 seekers, sensor spines, auto repair. Disrupt pod



this version comes out to 1748. what do you think?

I disagree about dropping the foot squad and adding marker drones to the warriors. The warriors will be meched up, so your looking at dropping out and snap firing the markerlight, and probably not 1st or second turn. Warriors can go on foot to bubble the ethereal(although you could hide him with warriors in a fish to bubble his powers...and dropping out a full squad with storm of fire is pretty ugly).

A good place for markerlight support is on your stealth team. Get a 'vre with markerlight and target lock, and 2 drones. With the multi tracker, you can shoot the light and the burst cannon. Combined with relentless, you now have mobile marker support that can JSJ and is protected by shadowsun.

I would also consider the command link drone for her. Close to the riptide, she makes the HBC much safer. She improves the dakka of any squad, including her own(effectively twin linking her fusion) for not a lot of points.

If you can afford, smart missiles make devilfish far more useful, and a dpod can't hurt.

in order to put the 3rd squad back in, give the stealths 2 marker drones(and 'ui), and give shadowsun the command link drone, i would have to make all 3 fire warrior squads 10 men each (no 'ui). would also have to drop system repair and sensor spines. that puts me at 1748.

would it be better for me to take the 2 seekers from Longstrike and put one on each fish?