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So I finally got the 'dex, and most of it really doesn't impress me. However, some of the new toys are interesting (targetting array). This is an attempt to make some sense of it and do a list that isn't too 'toys' heavy.

HQ:

Fireknife'el w/MT, Array

Elite:

1x2 Fireknives
2x6 Stealths

Troops:

3x10 FCW, Shasui
2x10 Kroot

FA:

8 Drones
2 x1 Pirhanna (?) Not 100% on this yet. May add decoys and/or fusion to 'em.

HS:

2x1 Rail 'Head w/SMS, Decoy, MT, BSF
1x2 Broadsides: A.S.S; Team Leader, 2x Shield Drones

That should be about 1750 or so (Sorry, don't have my 'dex at work), so I need another 100 points to get me to 1850.  

So, what should I add/subtract? Is this list too old-school? I'm debating either dropping the drones for pathfinders or adding a few marker drones and adding some seekers (more likely the latter, since the rules for pathfinders continue to be pretty crummy). Am I missing out on anything here?

Thanks in advance

I dunno think there is much difference between old and new Tau overall Syr. There are a few obvious points break (targetting arrays on team leaders f.e.) and the ASS might turn out to be golden, but the new material is of dubious value. The piranha is the best of the bunch, as it can be used as a grabber, but the rest is a bit meh, as far as tournament armies go.

That said, I think the Skyray, Sniper Drones and Vespids are all nice units, just not as good as the options the codex already had.

So the short answer is that Tau armies will probably look fairly similar in Tau Empire. But that's not a bad thing - the Tau codex was incredibly well designed.

 

 

 

 

Thanks Torgoch. That's sort of been my feeling. I want to like the sniper drone unit, and the Vespids (okay, I want to like their rules) and even the CIB, but I remain unconvinced that their jobs couldn't be done better by other things in the army

Here's a revised list including Piranhas. Points are accurate this time.

HQ:
Fireknife'el w/Targeting Array

Elite:
2x Fireknives
6x Stealths
6x Stealths

Troops:
10x FCW, Shasui
10x FCW, Shasui
10xFCW, Shasui
10xKroot
10xKroot

Fast Attack:
8x Gundrones
Piranha
Piranha

Heavy Support:
2x Broadsides w/A.S.S. Team Leader, 2 Shield Drones
Rail 'head w/SMS, MT, Decoy, BSF
Rail 'head w/SMS, MT, Decoy, BSF

That's 1817. I could swap out the Gundrones and one Piranha for a min. sized Pathfinder team and some seekers, or get rid of the FCW shasu'is and plug in another Piranha or an Ethereal, or just add some toys (decoy to the Piranhas, a couple of markerlights and marker drones, BSF and/or shield drones on the commander, etc.). I'm also not super excited about the Fireknives and would consider dropping them entirely for 3x4 stealths and just giving 'em some gundrones instead.

 

Another thought, this at 1846

HQ:
Fireknife'el w/TA, HWMT

Elite:
4 Stealths
6 Stealths
2 Deathrains (Not sold on these guys, but I only had 100 points and wasn't sure a single fireknife was the way to go. Might happily drop this for a total of 12 Stealths and use the remaining 40 points for something else. More Seekers and SMS on the 'fish, maybe? Or leave the Stealths be and spend the 100 on a 'fish for the 8-man FCW w/decoy, and upgrade one to shasu'i? Hrmn, Kinda like that option better...)

Troops:
2x10 FCW, Shasu'i
1x8 FCW
2x10 Kroot

Fast Attack:
2 Piranhas w/1 seeker each
8 Gundrones
6 Pathfinders; Fish w/decoy & 2 seekers

Heavy Support:
2 Broadsides with A.S.S.; team leader, shield drones
Rail 'head with SMS, decoy, MT
Ion 'head w/Burst Cannons, decoy, MT.

That looks good. I'm no fan of static FWs, but that doesn't make them bad. If they work for you, then go ahead.

Deathrains are very good. Make Eldar cry.

I suggest dropping the Seekers of the Pathfinder's Devilfish and giving them to the Piranhas. The reason is that the PF's DF will probably stay near the PFs right ? so it can't maneuver to get side / rear armour shots. Of course if you're not planning to keep the DF near the PFs then that's ok.

You seem quite low on plasma. I don't know about you, but I face Termies quite a lot, so I take at least one unit of 3 Fireknife to deal with them while staying flexible. You could switch the 4 Stealth for 2 Fireknives.

Anyway, just my 2 cents

Of the new stuff:

1. Sniper Drones do work, because they are stealthy and long ranged.
2. Vespids - dont bother, they are too vulnerable.
3. Kroot are improved because it all costs a single troop choice and krootox are now good because they are 'invisible' and cost far less than they did. Ox heavy kroot make good counterassault against standard (not dedicated assault opponents). Forget shapers though. root hounds were always a solid choice as they are cheap and nasty in combat, now you no longer need a FA slot for them.
4. Now Fire Warriors can get all carbines its no longer worthwhile equipping them as such.
5. Piranhas - Take one (or multiple teams of one) with a fusion blaster for suicide anti tank or objective grabbing.
6. SkyRay? I would rather have a railhead.

My take:

Commander:

IC Shas'el Monat with Plasma rifle, missile pod, target array, hard wired multi-tracker (technically he is not Fireknife) and stim injector (10pt iron halo).

Also possibly a bonding knife (if I can get this interpretation to stick). Why the bonding knife? The way it is worded the Commander can rally teams he joins that are below 1/2 strength as the Talissera is linked to the knife, not the team. I will post this on You Make The Call.

and/or Command team.
Another Shas'el and Ta'ro'cha bodyguard team equipped as Fireknife. Bodyguards cost extra, but you can give the whole team wargear i.e. Fireknife variant with target array and HWmultitracker. Not too bad if you have run out of elites slots

Elites:

2x Fireknife Ta'ro'cha (3 suits, no extras)
1x Stealth team (either 4 suits for cost/morale efficiency) or lots of suits and gun drones and a bonding knife to keep them fighting.
-- Possibly swap out one team of Fireknife for something else for variety, including more stealth.

Troops:

Mobile teams of 12 with shas'ui for leadership, markerlight and Fish with decoys. If you actually want to fght as airmobile then give the whole team pulse carbines and no markerlight, but normally mobile Fire Warriors means a static team (limited to 12 members) and a seperate AFV.
or Static teams of 12 with shas'ui, two gun drones on the front row teams (boost team size to 14, drones removed as casualties first). Markerlight. If you cant afford full teams of 12 drop drones in favour of boosting team numbers to 12.
-- Fire Warrior shasui are expensive this way but the markerlights add up. Use the first markerlight hit to improve the shooting of the next team, as you need the combined firepower of multiple teams to do a job this is not wasteful. However thge last team(s) need not have a markerlight unless you expect to 'chain' your firepower onto other heavier units. In any case shoot understrength and damaged markerlight equipped teams first
Kroot squads of ten with hounds. Hounds are cheap and have good I. Infiltrating assault team.
and/or one big kroot squad with oxen. Large counterassault squad with 'invisible' S6 attacks, sprinkle hounds to taste. Use this if you take broadsides, pathfinders, sniper drones or other 'firebase' units.
-- You can do without kroot easily enough

Fast Attack:

Pathfinders in teams of eight with shas'ui, always bonded. Use as Heavy Support. Use the fish as a light tank.
Gun drones. They no longer get a ld penalty but take big units anyway. I use gun drones as support infantry for battlesuits as they can dance the dance. Drone squadrons have got better. Remember they are scoring and can deep strike.
Piranhas. Just one with a fusion blaster, maybe seeker missiles for flank shots too. I prefer more drones.

Heavy Support.
Railhead. You need the railgun because you need S10 and also need the large template for seperate reasons. Outfit the tank 'to taste', I prefer a cheap one with burst cannon.
Sniper drones. One team isn't worth the HS slot but two or three teams can lay down a lot of firepower. You may be better off using the markerlight to support another more potent unit and use target locks to spread the firepower about. Each enemy squad sniped at means one more potential pinning test, sooner or later some will be failed. This doesnt work against every asrmy of course.
Broadsides. What shield drones were made for and T4 2+ save/4+ invulnerable shield drones are worth every point. Broadsides are good as Monat or in teams. If deployed in pairs target lock isnt really needed as one S10 hit has no guarantee of finishing off a vehicle. Consider one target lock for a Ta'ro'cha team though. Its a hard chioce between target array, multi tracker and drone controller for team members, the team leader should have all three. Advanced stabilisers dont really help as the suits are still too slow to get anywhere, and there is no jetpack move. The option to take a drone controller as a fourth hardpoint sweetens the deal somewhat, but this just confirms the truth that broadsides will be exposed to retrun fire, mobile or not and need drone screens.
Multi tracker is only truely essential for suits with plasma rifles, however in anti infantry mode the extra S10 twin linked shot is hardly just a throw in. +1BS is great but a large team should be markerlight assisted. Drone controllers are essential but two on the team leader is probably enough, this way you have a team of four and are only below 50% when you have one suit left.