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.

can anyone help me out. where are the rules, formations, for a riptide wing?
i have seen them spoken about on battle reports and on youtube but they
never mention what book they use to get it. i own the tau codex, montka and kayun books
as well as the farsight enclave. i recently had an opponent use one against me. his list
had 3 of them as well as 3 ghost keels and 1 unit of stealth suits. no HQ, no troops.
he claimed in a riptide wing, one of the riptides becomes the HQ. just trying to keep
my sanity

Wrong place for this methinks.

This belongs in 40k general discussion. This is the 30k section, from back when the Tau hadn't yet invented gunpowder and the galaxy was better off for it.

(As for your actual question the Riptide Wing is in Warzone Damocles: Mont'ka (pg.192) and is one of the top three most broken formations around. Please don't try using it. Everyone will be better off.)

You don't need a HQ or troops if all units come from formations, as nothing would come from any CAD-like detachment.
In your case it sounds like your opponent had Riptide wings and stealth cadres, so one of his Riptides took warlord.
If that was a friendly game, he is That Guy though.